Introduction
For many years, the topic of nuclear power has been approached carefully and with contention from some quarters. Arguably, the notion of nuclear power may send chills down the spines of many who are familiar with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These incidences have created fear over the potential misuse of nuclear power, especially considering that nuclear weapons continue to be part of many countries’ arsenals. However, there is an even greater fear that should see people reconsider their stance on the subject of nuclear power: climate change. Incidences across the planet have started to emerge to highlight the need for heightened efforts to reverse climate change. Destruction of the planet now seems inevitable, not by nuclear weapons but by greenhouse gas emissions. The conflict of interest emerges because many economies are sustained by energy sources that are major pollutants. What if there is a solution where nations are well-supplied with energy while drastically reducing environmental degradation? The answer to this question lies in the benefits of nuclear power, some of which will be discussed in detail within the course of this speech.
Tool for climate mitigation
First of all, nuclear power is the ultimate tool for climate mitigation. The awareness of climate change has spread across the world, and people now believe that a solution has to be found. Despite the fears and skepticism towards nuclear power, many consider it to have the potential to reverse this phenomenon. Giving nuclear power a second chance to power people’s lives is evidence that climate change strikes greater fear than nuclear weapons. Some scholars have established that the current nuclear power plants erected across a few countries have managed to avoid 2-3% of the global greenhouse emissions annually (Muellner et al., 2021). These statistics may appear insignificant, but a look at the number of power plants in operation compared to the total amount of electricity consumed globally should give a clearer picture. Therefore, those arguing that nuclear power is the future of planet earth could be right. Many countries still burn fossil fuels, including coal, to produce electricity and other forms of energy. Phasing out such plants can only be equated to achieving a greener planet.
Low-carbon alternative energy
Second, nuclear power provides the world with low-carbon alternative energy, which should help in the pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations (2021) believes that the global climate objectives will fall short without integrating nuclear power. The organization’s energy experts have argued that the countries need to roll out more power plants because only hydropower has been helping the planet avoid carbon emissions in the production of energy. One might also argue that such alternatives as solar and wind have low-carbon potential. However, can they produce as much energy and with such efficiency as power plants? Additionally, what percentage of the global electricity output do these alternatives contribute? Answers to these questions will reveal that the amount of capital invested in solar and wind farms does not yield enough returns to make them a real edge over nuclear power plants. Therefore, wind and solar can only be considered small-scale alternatives that still have a critical role to play in the journey towards a greener future.
An important point to emphasize is that the United Nations, in its consideration for nuclear power, bases its argument on the stipulations of the sustainability goals (SDGs). The seventh goal expresses the need for affordable and clean energy, which requires investments in new technologies that can facilitate the generation of cleaner energy. The focus of the goal is that the global population continues to grow, which means rising demand for energy. Efficiency and environmental consideration are the key deliverables in the pursuit of this goal. Therefore, reducing energy consumption may not be a viable option because it could devastate economic growth and development. A balance between economic and environmental interests is the optimal solution that is increasingly impossible to achieve without the help of nuclear power.
Economic and industrial growth
The third benefit of nuclear power is that economic and industrial growth remains a possibility, especially for developing nations. The first world differs from third world nations because of the advances in the production of energy and its use to power industrial growth. Therefore, an argument can be made that nuclear power holds the key to fast-tracking economic development in third-world countries. Goal 9 of the SGDs advocates investments in industry, infrastructure, and innovation because economic and environmental sustainability depends on these aspects. Industry requires massive amounts of energy, which would mean that countries will go for polluting alternatives. With nuclear power, economic development can be pursued without sacrificing environmental health. Technology and innovation can become critical tools in facilitating the proliferation of nuclear power across nations. The rationale is that the past failures in nuclear power plants may have been the result of a lack of better technologies that can help harness nuclear energy without any incidents. The Chernobyl disaster should always be a key reminder that some mistakes should not be repeated when it comes to nuclear power.
Bridging energy gap
Another benefit is that nuclear power can help solve the problem of the energy gap. Growing populations across the world mean a rising demand for energy, which leaves many countries experiencing a shortage. This scenario is described as the energy gap where the rising energy demand is not matched by the ability to produce energy from its available resources. There is an argument that many resources used in energy production are non-renewable, and their continued use is unscalable and unsustainable. Many countries face an uncertain future where the governments and policymakers are left pondering on the next move. Nuclear power is the ultimate solution because massive amounts of energy can be generated from relatively fewer resources. Issues of scalability and sustainability should not be a major concern with nuclear power, especially when indefinite amounts of energy could be produced for prolonged periods. The energy gap presents a real crisis not only for the developing countries but also for the advanced economies. Therefore, each country should seriously consider building the capability and capability to produce nuclear power.
New technologies for solving nuclear problems
Lastly, the advance in nuclear technology should provide hope that the many dangers associated with nuclear power can be averted. The case of Chernobyl has been used as a warning against malpractices. Additionally, it could be argued that the incident has struck fear among many people and caused the current skepticism towards similar projects. Chernobyl could be described as an embodiment of failed and corrupt systems as opposed to a technological catastrophe (“What happened at Chernobyl?” 2019). The rationale is that there are multiple power plants across the planet where proper management has seen them become a success. Today, technological developments have made it possible to build smaller reactors that can offer more flexibility and greater safety than their predecessors. Furthermore, the advancements have also been geared towards new applications that require the use of forms of energy other than electricity, which should result in greater inefficiencies. Examples include hydrogen production, seawater desalination, and district heating, all of which use heat and other energy types of energy produced as a byproduct. In other words, new and safer applications emerge to solve critical energy problems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nuclear power is the ultimate solution to the major problems the planet is currently facing, including climate change and the energy gap. Touted as a low-carbon alternative, nuclear power can help the world massively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which should work towards reversing or reducing the current trends in climate change. It has been argued that wind and solar offer greener alternatives, but they remain small-scale options. The efficiency of nuclear power means that energy can be produced on a larger scale and for prolonged periods. Most of the benefits highlighted have adopted a sustainability approach based on the SDGs, which require a balance across all the domains of development. Essentially, nuclear power holds the key to the achievement of these goals because energy is made available, economies and industries are uplifted, and the environment is protected. Most importantly, new technological developments are taking place not only to ensure the safety of nuclear power but also to establish new applications for energy byproducts.
References
Muellner, N., Arnold, N., Gufler, K., Kromp, W., Renneberg, W., & Liebert, W. (2021). Nuclear energy – The solution to climate change? Energy Policy, 155, 1-10. Web.
United Nations. (2021). Global climate objectives fall short without nuclear power in the mix: UNECE. UN News. Web.
What happened at Chernobyl? (2019). The Week. Web.