The discreet charm of nuclear power
It makes fighting climate change a lot easier
IN THE NEGOTIATIONS which led up to the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, Saudi Arabia spent a great deal of time attempting to insert the term “environmentally safe and sound” in front of references to “energy sources” and “energy supplies”. Given that the oil Saudi Arabia exports in greater quantities than any other country is now understood to be anything but environmentally safe, this seems bizarre. At the time, though, the aim was obvious to all concerned: the phrase was a way to keep nuclear power off the Rio agenda.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “The discreet charm of nuclear power”
From the November 13th 2021 edition
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