After years of nuclear decommissioning, Europe is in danger of being hit by a resurgence of nuclear power utilisation. Using climate problems as a pretext, a number of countries are planning to build new nuclear power stations or to extend the life spans of existing ones.

Naturefriends are opposed to any nuclear power boost and/or extension of the life spans of nuclear power plants, because

• the nuclear technology is risky and every “accident” has grievous consequences for the population of entire tracts of land
• the radioactive radiation in the vicinity of the power stations can induce cancer
• to this day, no solution has been found to the disposal of radioactive waste, which can be compared to a radiating time bomb active for millions of years
• nuclear power is no sustainable source of energy, because uranium resources are limited and because nuclear power stations are in constant need of cooling water.

Naturefriends call for a sea change in Europe’s energy policy as regards nuclear power and demand that

• safety regulations for nuclear power stations be tightened and consolidated danger plans be drawn up for incidents and accidents
• a phase-out plan for nuclear power be put in place in parallel with a reorientation to renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency
• no state funding be allocated to the construction of new nuclear power plants
• the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), in force since 1957, be terminated and that a Sustainable Energy Community be set up at the European level, tasked with advancing developments in the field of ecological and sustainable energies and with networking the national eco-energy programmes. This could free Euratom funds for research and development in the field of renewable energy sources and for energy efficiency measures. In future, EURATOM must be replaced by “Euro-Energy”. A clear Europe-wide signal must be sent against attempts by the nuclear lobby to position nuclear energy as a CO2 friendly climate alternative.

The motto for a truly radiant future must be: save energy, upgrade energy efficiency, optimise current energy generation, step up the use of renewable energy and thoroughly restructure the eco-electricity law.