Center for International Environmental Law · Climate Solutions · Environmental and Energy Study Institute · Friends of the Earth-U.S. · Greenpeace-U.S. · Institute for Policy Studies · Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy · National Environmental Trust · Natural Resources Defense Council · Nuclear Information and Resource Service · Ozone Action · Physicians for Social Responsibility · Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project · Safe Energy Communication Council · Sierra Club · U.S. Public Interest Group · World Wildlife Fund-U.S.

August 23, 2000

Mr. David Gardiner
Executive Director
White House Climate Change Task Force
734 Jackson Place NW
Washington, DC 20503

Dear Mr. Gardiner,

As you know, the 6th Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP 6) is fast approaching. Among other important issues, COP 6 will decide whether nuclear power projects are eligible for greenhouse gas reduction credits through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Implementation (JI).

We are requesting a meeting prior to COP6 to clarify the Administration's position on including nuclear projects in the CDM and JI. A United States position in support of nuclear power in the CDM would be contrary to official EU policy and the wishes of a number of developing countries. Moreover, it would dampen the grassroots environmental support in the US necessary to ratify the Protocol.

Nuclear power should not be used to address the threat of global warming because it would result in the production of additional radioactive waste; increased safety concerns; proliferation of nuclear power technology, and thereby, weapons proliferation. Nuclear power is neither clean enough, cost-effective enough, nor sustainable enough to be included in the CDM. Additionally, the US would fail to adequately reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions if given credit for foreign nuclear energy investment; this despite the fact that actual domestic reductions could be cheaply and easily accomplished using renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency. According to congressional testimony by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), energy efficiency alone could account for 60 percent of the emissions reduction necessary for the US to meet the Kyoto protocol.

The CDM and JI were intended to promote truly clean projects. They should focus positively on renewable energy technologies, and should specifically exclude unsafe and environmentally polluting technologies like nuclear power.

We look forward to your prompt and positive response. For further information, or to schedule a meeting, please contact Cindy Folkers at NIRS at 328-0002 or

Sincerely,

Anna Aurilio
Legislative Director
U.S. Public Interest Research Group

Dan Becker
Director, Global Warming and Energy Program
Sierra Club

Gary Cook
Director, Climate Campaign
Greenpeace, US

Scott Denman
Executive Director
Safe Energy Communication Council

Jeff Fiedler
Climate Policy Specialist
Natural Resources Defense Council

Donald Goldberg
Director, Climate Program
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)

Karen Hopfl-Harris
Associate Director for Policy
Physicians for Social Responsibility

Kalee Kreider
Global Warming Campaign Director
National Environmental Trust

Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information & Resource Service

Jennifer Morgan
Director, Climate Change Campaign
World Wildlife Fund

Michael Noble
Executive Director
Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy

John Passacantando
Executive Director
Ozone Action

Jim Riccio
Senior Analyst
Critical Mass Energy & Environment Program

Rhys Roth
Co-Director
Climate Solutions

Jon Sohn
International Policy Analyst
Friends of the Earth-US

Carol Werner
Executive Director
Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Daphne Wysham
Research Fellow
Institute for Policy Studies (IPS)

cc Frank Loy

cc Secretary Richardson

cc David Sandalow

cc Roger Ballentine

cc Dan Bodansky

cc Trigg Tally

cc Jeff Miotke