Gore lines up against
nuclear powerNovember 15, 2000
The nuclear power industry's hopes for a major new role in combating global warming were shaken Tuesday by the distribution of comments by Vice President Al Gore that he opposed such a move.
In a letter dated Nov. 3 Gore, who is still awaiting the result of the Nov. 7 presidential election that could put him in the White House, said nuclear should not be used as a means of cutting "greenhouse gases."
"I have disagreed with those who would classify nuclear energy as clean or renewable," Gore said in a letter to Harvey Wasserman of the Ohio-based Nuclear Information and Resources Center.
Gore said proposed U.S. legislation on restructuring the electricity sector excluded nuclear and large scale hydro electricity. "It is my view that climate change policies should do the same," he added.
The comments will be warmly welcomed by environmentalists who fear world governments meeting at a "climate summit" during the next two weeks might allow nuclear power to be promoted in developing countries as a way of combating global warming, because it does not emit the carbon dioxide which comes from fossil fuels.
Canada and Japan are pushing for such a policy.
The leader of the U.S. delegation at the talks, David Sandalow, told a news briefing: "The United States is open to discussion on this issue.
"We have expressed concerns. We have noted the challenges of cost, public acceptance, non-proliferation, waste and safety," he said.
Some 180 countries are meeting in The Hague to finalize the rules on implementing a 1997 U.N. agreement on cutting six gases believed to contribute to global warming.
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