Nuclear Effects on Global Warming

It is a common misconception that nuclear power generation produces no carbon dioxide. This is completely wrong. It is true that the process of energy transference from uranium to water, the central procedure of nuclear power, is CO₂-free but that avoids all of the other processes necessary to generate power. It is rather like a motorist driving down the motorway and saying that it is not costing him a penny at that moment; it is true only if he ignores purchasing the car, insuring it, taxing it, filling it with petrol, etc. Nuclear power would be CO₂-free if no uranium was mined, no reactors built and no waste disposed off afterwards. It is difficult to see how any electricity could be produced this way.

If a layman states that nuclear power produces no CO₂,
then he has not done his research

If an expert states that nuclear power produces no CO₂,
then he is lying.

Reducing the Effects of Global Warming

Many people advocate an increased use of nuclear energy as a way of combatting global warming. Apart from the fact that it is not carbon-free as they often claim, it is not even a particularly efficient way to reduce carbon emissions.

The WEO 2006 report considers nuclear energy to be the least efficient measure in combating greenhouse warming: in the “Alternative Policy Scenario” the projected reduction of GHG emissions by about 6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide is primarily due to improved energy efficiency (contributing 65% of the reduction), 13% are due to fuel switching, 12% are contributed by enhanced use of renewable energies and only 10% are attributed to an enhanced use of nuclear energy. [EWG]

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