Give nuke a hearing

Consider nuclear: Thiange nuclear power plant in southern Belgium. Some climate scientists say nuclear can play a key role in lowering harmful emissions from the power sector. Photo: EPA

Four prominent climate scientists gave a press conference at the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) late last year in Paris. To the surprise of casual observers, the discussion was a call for nuclear power to be given a fair hearing in the fight against climate change.

First at the bat was Dr Ken Caldeira, who was arrested in 1981 for protesting the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant on Long Island, New York (the plant was eventually decommissioned). Then a freelance software developer, Caldeira was a key figure in the anti-nuclear weapons and power movement and was involved in the 500,000-strong protest in Central Park in June 1982.