The government’s decision to give the green light to new nuclear power stations flies in the face of women’s views.

72% of women are opposed to nuclear power.¹ A recent survey for WEN² found that 58% would prefer to live near any other form of power station than nuclear and 86% think the government should prioritise investment in renewable energy as the top measure to tackle climate change. Women have been excluded from the decision making process and our voices are being ignored.

The UK is uniquely placed to benefit from wind, wave and tidal renewable sources of energy. Nuclear power will do nothing for climate change for ten years and little even then. The priority for investment should be reduction in demand and expansion of renewables with a policy that allows for localisation and decentralisation. .

WEN is not convinced that nuclear power will ever become a viable source of clean energy. Too many genuine concerns remain about safety, terrorist attack, waste disposal, links to cancer and environmental contamination around nuclear plants, the environmental costs of uranium mining, and the huge costs involved in building, maintaining and decommissioning nuclear power stations. Questions remain regarding the overall energy benefit when balanced with the energy consumption of uranium mining and waste management.

1.  WEN, European Commission and Guardian-ICM polls quoted in WEN’s Response to the DTI Energy Review 2006

2. Joint WEN/NFWI survey to inform the Women’s Manifesto on Climate Change 2006.