Germans were out in force this past weekend in Berlin to give vocal and visible protest to Chancellor Merkel’s plan to extend the life of nuclear power plants beyond their statutorily mandated closure dates. The World From Berlin – “Most Germans Don’t Want Nuclear Power” was the headline from Der Spiegel. Between 100,000 and 40,000 people – depending on whether you ask the organizers or the police – turned out to give voice to their concerns. The protestors were old veterans of the anti-nuclear movement, young people, and middle-class folks for whom this sort of thing is not, to say the least, a usual mode of expression.
The rally and march was also a venue for political rivals of Merkel’s coalition. “Opposition party leaders joined the peaceful march around Berlin’s government district, including Sigmar Gabriel, chairman of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the heads of the Green and Left parties.” Gabriel has called for a national referendum.
Whatever Merkel’s motives, she may have chosen a politically unpopular and potentially untenable position. The Green Party has seen a surge in the polls, somewhat as a consequence of the decision on the power plants. Reuters reports here that “Surveys have shown a majority of Germans are opposed to extending nuclear lifespans …The Greens, who won 10.7 percent in the 2009 federal election, have surged to one record after another in polls in recent months, thanks to their staunch opposition to nuclear power and voter frustration with Merkel.”
Meanwhile in the UK, the Liberal Democrats, a party that has prided itself on its opposition to new nuclear power plants, seems to be going over to the dark side as a member of the coalition government with the Tories. Quite correctly, the website of the Liberal Democrats says: “More nuclear power will soak up subsidy, centralise energy production and hinder development of Britain’s vast renewable resources. Nuclear has a dirty legacy and increases global security risks. We oppose construction of further nuclear power stations.” The arch-Druids at Citigroup reported last November, that for Britain, The Economics Say No for new nukes – without massive amounts of public money.
I wrote here in May that “…. across the pond, the new British coalition government, may have, by its appointment of Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne as minister for Energy and Climate Change, sounded the death knell for new nuclear power. Nuclear will not get atom of help from this Government reads the headline from The Times.” Shows you what I know.
People, apparently, change. (Especially those who get power after years of not having any.) The Guardian reported this week Chris Huhne urges Liberal Democrats to back new nuclear power stations. It seems this 180° turn is part of the “give and take” of being in a coalition government with the Conservatives. Three years ago, Huhne is quoted as having said: “”Nuclear is a tried, tested and failed technology and the government must stop putting time, effort and subsidies into reviving this outdated industry.”
Another concern is a softening on support for renewables. In this item from the FT’s “Westminster” blog, we learn that green NGOs fear that the feed-in tariff program “…could be delayed or watered down by Chris Huhne, Lib Dem energy secretary, under pressure from the Treasury. Ditto the Renewable Heat Incentive…”
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister, is in New York for the annual UN hoopla, and I heard him speak yesterday. He is, not surprisingly, a bright, articulate guy. I wanted to ask a question, but didn’t get the chance. Here goes now. And if any of you have an answer, I’d love to know it.
What is it with policymakers, far and wide, from the Left and the Right, (but mostly from the Right), that makes nuclear power such an imperative? Why is it so hard to jettison this extremely burdensome industry?
