SYDNEY, 19 June 2024 – Greenpeace Australia Pacific has dismissed the federal opposition’s nuclear plans as a distraction from the urgent need to transition Australia to clean and affordable renewable energy, and a bad-faith delay tactic to prop up climate-wrecking coal, oil, and gas for as long as possible.
“There is not a shred of credibility to the Coalition’s claims that nuclear is a climate solution in Australia. This slow, expensive and dangerous technology is just a distraction from readily available renewable energy solutions,” said David Ritter, CEO, Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“Let’s name the Coalition’s nuclear fantasy for what it is: a poison pill that claims to reduce emissions but instead locks us into coal and gas for decades while we wait for nuclear to overcome near-impossible economic and regulatory odds—resulting in billions of tonnes of avoidable emissions that will drive more deadly climate impacts.
“Nuclear is prohibitively expensive, with the CSIRO’s own research showing that powering Australia with nuclear would be twice as expensive as renewables. We cannot afford to waste billions of dollars on a nuclear boondoggle in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
“Nuclear is also dangerous, because Australia is woefully incapable of safely dealing with nuclear waste—an accident could potentially contaminate communities for decades, if not centuries.
“Communities in places like the LaTrobe Valley in Victoria have already put up with health impacts of a massive coal mine outside their front door. It is deeply unfair to ask towns that have already paid the costs of fossil fuel pollution to now deal with nuclear waste.
“Australians want and need credible climate action from their elected leaders. It is impossible to take the Coalition seriously on climate while it backs a doomed-to-fail technology like nuclear, while threatening to scrap renewable projects if elected. The Coalition must pivot from its irresponsible plans and instead back proven wind and solar, backed by battery storage.
“Greenpeace has a long and proud history of fighting against nuclear power. We will continue to challenge this dangerous, unsuitable technology and champion the cleaner, safer, affordable renewable solutions that will genuinely help reduce emissions at emergency speed and scale,” said Mr Ritter.
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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kimberley Bernard on 0407 581 404 or [email protected]
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is a global independent campaigning organisation that uses peaceful protest and creative confrontation to expose environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.