3 months ago
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The UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities are supporting a petition and webinar hosted by 100 percent Renewables UK to condemn and counter the one-sided pre-Christmas hearing convened by Parliament’s Environment Audit Committee in support of the deployment of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, and to instead host an enquiry into the practicalities of a 100% renewable future for the UK.
The initiative was launched by Dr David Toke, Director of 100 percent Renewables UK and Reader in Energy Politics at the University of Aberdeen.
Dr Toke is now seeking signatures on the petition which reads:
We condemn the one-sided hearing on small modular rectors held by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) and call upon the EAC to organise an enquiry into the practicalities of a 100 percent or near 100 per cent UK renewable energy system.
The petition can be found at
https://100percentrenewableuk.org/evidence-on-small-nuclear-reactors-petition
and the NFLAs are urging all opponents of SMRs who instead favour an electricity system based on 100% renewable energy to sign it. The petition shall in due course be presented to the EAC.
The EAC hearing was held on December 13th 2023 with the majority of the few external speakers invited to present evidence being from within the nuclear industry, with no critics of nuclear power being extended invitations.
You can see the hearing here:
https://committees.parliament.uk/event/20052/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
The NFLAs submitted written evidence to the hearing:
Dr Toke has also organised a webinar titled: ‘100 per cent renewables rather than Small Modular (Nuclear) Reactors’ which will be held from 5.30pm on Wednesday February 21st.
Leading experts will speak in support of the petition and the practicalities of a 100 percent or near 100 percent renewable energy system for the UK.
You can register at:
The confirmed speakers are:
Dr David Toke, Director of 100 per cent Renewables UK (and Reader in Energy Politics, University of Aberdeen) will give a brief outline of UK studies on 100 per cent renewables in the UK.
He is author of ‘Energy Revolutions – Profiteering versus Democracy’ to be published by Pluto Press in May. You can order the book via https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745349251/energy-revolutions/. Just quote the discount code’TOKE30′ – which will take 30% off the paperback and ebook up to the publication date.
Professor Mark Z. Jacobson from Stanford University in California and the world’s leading advocate of 100 percent renewable energy systems will talk about the struggle for 100 percent renewable energy and the irrelevance of thinking about small modular reactors.
He is author of ‘No Miracles Needed’ published by Cambridge University Press.
Professor Steve Thomas from Greenwhich University and one of the world’s leading independent nuclear power analysts will talk about prospects for SMRs. Steve Thomas was one of those who submitted evidence to the EAC, but who was not called to talk.
Alison Downes is the Executive Director of the Stop Sizewell C Campaign. She will talk about the campaign to stop the monumental waste of financial and local resources that would be caused by Sizewell C.
You will be provided with a zoom link after registering. The zoom link for the webinar will open at 17.00 on Wednesday February 21st for networking, and the speakers will begin at 17.30. You will be sent a zoom link for the event and reminders after you register for a ticket.
Registration is automatically assumed to confer consent for the event to be recorded. Attendees should mute unless contributing. Questions and comments to speakers should be posted through the chat facility.
Ends//… For further information please contact the NFLA Secretary, Richard Outram, by email at richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
