European minority worry about nuclear

Environment Ministers from Austria, Iceland, Ireland and Norway met in the convivial surroundings of Dublin Castle on 26 March, to discuss their position on nuclear energy. They recognised it remains the sovereign right of each country to decide on its energy mix but stated that their view was that nuclear energy can not claim to be a clean alternative to fossil fuel.

Furthermore they stated that the "trans-boundary nature of the risks associated with nuclear energy and our collective responsibility towards the health and environment of our citizens dictates that we must ensure that their interests and concerns are represented in relation to all nuclear projects and installations."

The meeting comes at a time when political attitudes towards nuclear energy in Europe have become more positive. The UK Government policy has moved sharply in favour of nuclear energy, with its current environment minister, David Miliband, expressing support in sharp contrast with his ministerial predecessors. Public opinion in Sweden is positive towards its nuclear industry, despite the long-standing official phase-out policy. The Swedish Centre Party dropped its strong opposition to nuclear energy in 2006. While the official anti-nuclear policy in Germany remains, it has been sharply criticised by prominent party officials, such as Economics Minister Michael Glos. It was under the German presidency of Angela Merkel that the recent European Council recognised the role nuclear energy could have in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Environment Ministers of Ireland, Norway, Iceland and Austria are finding themselves in a diminishing group of anti-nuclear European States. With a combined population of around 17 million they represent less than 3.5% of Europe's population.

The ministers considered that their meeting had been "very productive and worthwhile" and that a further meeting of the Ministers and other interested States will take place in Vienna in the autumn of 2007.

John Ritch, director general of the World Nuclear Association, said: "These environment ministers should not be ignored because they represent just one-fourth of one percent of humanity. But what undermines their credibility is hypocrisy. Collectively, these nations have not met their Kyoto targets, their emissions are higher than the European average, and they offer neither serious prescriptions nor leadership by example. Instead, as major nations around the world turn to nuclear power as a serious means to meet both human needs and environmental imperatives, this mighty foursome has summoned up nothing more than puny moral pieties."