nuclear-news

UN convention on environmental impact – meeting reveals influence of nuclear lobby

EU Observer 3rd July 2017, A meeting of the parties to the UN convention on environmental impact
assessment in a transboundary context (Espoo) took place last week in
Minsk, Belarus. Among other things, it helped to showcase the influence
that politics and the nuclear industry lobby have over decisions that have
potentially severe impacts on European citizens’ health and the
environment.

The meeting – gathering over 200 people, including
government delegates, civil society, EU officials and business – ended in
an unprecedented way, without the endorsement of any decision, despite
worrying evidence of the non-compliance of several governments’ nuclear
energy plans.

With many more decisions coming up in Europe on either the
construction of plants, or the prolongation of old nuclear units, the lack
of a decision following the Espoo meeting leaves no legal precedent for
countries to follow. It also provides the public with even more unclarity
on the participation procedures that ought to be followed.

July 5, 2017 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, politics international