Energy Strategy of Ukraine up to the period of 2030 adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on March 15th, 2006, provides intensive development of national nuclear energy sector. The main arguments are so-called “alternativeness” of nuclear power to the fossil fuel (oil and natural gas) technologies and thus strengthening the energy independence of the country.
Moreover, more and more politicians have started advocating for nuclear energy as one of the main tools in tackling Climate Change issues basing on the assertion that nuclear energy is CO2 emissions free. At the same time they do not consider the crucial problems that have not been solved so far as environmentally safety further reprocessing and storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
Chernobyl catastrophe of 1986 proved the bankruptcy of “nuclear path” of creating energy independence and strengthening national security. The project of the French company “Framatom” on construction of repository or spent nuclear fuel came to the amount exceeding 80 millions euro and failed.
Nowadays the US company “Holtec International” is trying to realize another “experiment” in Ukraine – construction of a new repository for spent nuclear fuel. According to experts the proposed technology has several technical and technological defects.
Party of Greens of Ukraine calls upon the Government of Ukraine and governments of other countries to shift priorities of their state policies towards increasing the environmental component.
Greens are convinced that the following steps are urgent: to consider transnational risks related to the development of nuclear energy;
- to promote use of innovative environmentally sound and energy efficiency technologies;
- to implement energy strategies based on use of local renewable sources of energy ensuring financial incentives to speed up the development of “green energy”.
Considering the global risks and challenges of XXI century, Ukrainian Greens call upon the world leaders to develop adequate national strategies aimed at solving the problems the life of current and future generations depend upon.
