The world's nuclear power industry is hoping that genuine public concern over global warming will translate into new atomic reactor orders for this beleaguered industry. In particular, the industry is seeking to take advantage of "Clean Development Mechanism" (CDM) and "Joint Implementation" (JI) credits under the international Kyoto Protocol agreement on global warming. Under these scenarios, polluting countries could receive greenhouse emission "credits" for building new nuclear reactors in other countries. In November of 2000, the "Conference of the Parties 6" (COP6) met in the Hague, Netherlands. On their agenda was a determination of what technologies should be eligible to receive these credits. NIRS attended this conference because we believe only genuinely clean technologies, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency should be eligible to obtain such credits. For many reasons, nuclear power is not the answer to global warming. Indeed, when one considers the entire nuclear fuel chain--as opposed to simply atomic reactor operations--nuclear power is a considerable generator of greenhouse gases. From July 16-27, 2001 Conference of the Parties 6.5 took place in Bonn, Germany. This Conference was a great success, where Nuclear Power was declared out of the Kyoto Protocol!

The official United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Webpage

Ben Pearson from Greenpeace on meaning of the Bonn language on nuclear power and Kyoto, September 2001

CEE Bankwatch Issue #8, July 2001 (pdf)

Victory! Nuclear power is OUT of the Kyoto Protocol! (Greenpeace, July 24, 2001)

The Bonn Declaration- Third International Forum of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on Climate Change (Indigenous Environmental Network, July 20, 2001)

More Than 70 U.S. Peace and Environmental Groups Support Kyoto Protocol Language to Prevent World-Wide Nuclear Power Proliferation, NIRS Press release. July 18, 2001. Read the Signed Letter.

New study from Hnuti Duha (Friends of the Earth, Czech Republic) provides a comparative analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear and non-nuclear countries (pdf File, July 2001)

It's Not Too Late to Contact Your Government and ask that Nuclear Power not be Classified as a Form of Sustainable Energy at the CSD introductory message and an International Sustainable Energy Model (Global Resource Action Center for the Environment, June 2001)

Letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. representatives to the Ninth United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 9) talks to firmlyreject any definition of nuclear power as a "sustainable" technology, Press release, Spring 2001. Text of letter here. KB" width="21" height="9"/>

70+ organization warn U.S. that nukes in CDM will cost support for Kyoto Protocol. NIRS/WISE Press Release. November 22, 2000. Text of letter.

121 arrested at anti-nuclear demonstration in The Hague. Press release, November 22, 2000

List of 700+ organizations world wide supporting the WISE/NIRS petition against nuclear power and climate change; presented to COP6 President Pronk November 18, 2000

NIRS/WISE-Amsterdam press release on negotiations in The Hague, November 14, 2000

Vice President Al Gore opposes use of nuclear power to address climate change. Press release on Gore's letter to NIRS, November 13, 2000. Text of letter.

ALERT! Act now to affect U.S. position on COP 6 meeting in November 2000.

National Call-In Day on nukes and global warming, October 5, 2000.

WISE/NIRS/Earth Day 2000 petition on nuclear power and global warming. Download, sign, and get your friends and neighbors to sign! Please return to NIRS/WISE by October 31, 2000.

Come to The Hague, Netherlands, November 13, 2000!

Press Release, September 19, 2000 press conference with European leaders, NGOs.

Sample Op-Ed on COP6

Canadian NGOs on COP6 meeting

Indian NGOs onCOP6 meeting

African NGOs on COP6 meeting

European Union "positive development" position

Letter from US NGOs to David Gardiner at the White House