Nuclear Energy, Environment and Public Safety: North-South Politics
Abstract
While many believe that the biggest problems today are the
world’s struggling economies, the increase in terrorist cults, or growing
populations, the greatest predicament concerns fossil fuel consumption,
the resulting climate change and its repercussions. To change our pat-
terns of fossil fuel consumption, key alternatives include fuel options
such as renewable energy sources (e.g., solar or wind energy) and nuclear
energy. As discussed in this article, renewable energy sources also have
an environmental impact and are inadequate to totally meet the demands
of an ever-expanding industrial civilization. Another alternative that
many environmentalists are promoting is nuclear energy, which has been
cited as the ultimate clean energy. At present, nuclear energy offers hope
for an eco-friendly and economically-suitable energy option. This article
argues that despite the challenges of public security, nuclear energy is a
far better alternative than carbon-based fuels to promote sustainable de-
velopment and protect against accelerated climate change.
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