nuclear-news

Anti Nuclear, Clean Energy Movement

The biggest success of the clean energy anti-nuclear movement is in the awakening of public awareness of both renewable energy and energy efficiency, and of the lies of the nuclear lobby.

The nuclear industry’s big lie about its “renaissance” is apparent. Not democracies, only totalitarian States now can start nuclear projects using public money. Women are far more opposed to nuclear power, and their opinions have great effect in democratic countries.

The nuclear industry can no longer apply those terms “clean”, “safe” “economic” “renewable” to nuclear projects –  people just laugh!

As well as in this intangible area of public awareness, the success of the clean energy anti nuclear movement is apparent in more clear and concrete ways. (Even in awareness, the public opinion polls record the increasing unpopularity of the nuclear industry)

Successes of the anti- nuclear movement – (some inadequate, but moving in the right direction)

1961 – 1980  Japan 34 towns and cities rejected nuclear plants

1963 International  Partial  Nuclear Test ban Treaty

1968  International Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

1970s  USA Plans for “neutron bomb” abandoned –

1971 – Australia. Anti nuclear campaigns led to abandonment of planned Jervis Bay nuclear power plant

1973  Spain and France Abandonment of nuclear reactors planned in Basque Country (Spain and France)

1974- France ends atmospheric testing of atomic bombs in the Pacific

1975  Germany Cancellation oo  proposed nuclear power plant in Wyhl,

1970s – 1980s –Philippines  Bataan Nuclear Power Plant,   was built but never operated

1976- 1983  USA 92 nuclear plant projects cancelled.  For many years the anti-nuclear movement in the United States  succeeded in delaying or halting commitments to build new nuclear plants

1979 – USA Anti-nuclear power protests preceded the shutdown of the Shoreham, Yankee Rowe, Millstone I, Rancho Seco, Maine Yankee, and about a dozen other nuclear power plants

1980s Britain, & Europe Removal of cruise missiles from Britain, abandonment of plan for Pershing missiles based in Europe

1980s – late 1980s India. Protests in Kerala force closure of plan for nuclear power plant

1984 New Zealand bans nuclear-power ships, nuclear armed ships

1987 – New Zealand declared nuclear free zone

1988 Germany. Protests led to abandonment of plan for nuclear reprocessing plant in Wackersdorf.

1991 Germany – Two fast breeder reactors   were closed

1991 Kazakhstan “Nevada Semipalatinsk” campaigns resulted in the closure of the nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk, in north-east Kazakhstan,

1996 – France stops atomic bomb testing in the Pacific

1998 – Australia.  Public opposition forces abandonment of Pangea Resources, to establish an international  nuclear waste dump in Western Australia.

2000s – USA Many license applications for proposed new reactors, suspended or cancelled

2002  – Germany legislated for the shut-down of all German nuclear plants by 2021.

2011 – Germany   May 30, 2011 –  Germany’s 17 nuclear power stations will be shut down by 2022

2011– Switzerland bans all new nuclear power.

2011 Italy – 94% anti-nuclear vote in referendum . Moratorium on new nuclear power

As of June 2011, countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Norway remain opposed to nuclear power.^[