Essay Sample about Nuclear Power: The Solution to Climate Change

Nuclear power has in fact been proven to be a safe, clean and powerful energy source. If nuclear reactors are properly maintained and funded they can be a safe and reliable source of clean energy. If The United States, Europe, and Japan want to meet their goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, nuclear power is the way. Nuclear power is a safe and clean form of energy. Nuclear energy is the most powerful and efficient source of clean energy.

Nuclear reactors get a bad name from incidents like Chernobyl. The Chernobyl meltdown was caused because of cheap, unsafe soviet-era reactors. The reactor type used in Chernobyl is never being built again and never existed outside the soviet union. The effects of radiation are overstated; Mark Lynas a British author focused on environmentalism and climate change. said in 2012, “Even when the worst happens, the effects are overstated. Not a single fatality can yet be ascribed to radiation released in last year's Fukushima disaster, and 26 years after Chernobyl, scientists tracking those exposed to the radiation from that disaster have found no greater amount of birth defects or fatal cancers than those in the general population”  Chernobyl reactor lacked safety features and was outdated. Modern nuclear reactors are being built so they cannot meltdown. Nuclear energy pros far outweigh the cons, nuclear energy is cleaner, more efficient, and less expensive the coal-burning power.

If the world wants to reduce carbon emissions and stop global warming Nuclear power is the way. Unlike solar, wind, and water power, electricity is predictable. Generators run when the sun isn’t shining, the wind isn’t blowing, and the water level isn’t high. Nuclear reactors don’t rely on uncontrollable conditions. Mark Lynas told us that “In a world with limited need for energy and no danger of climate change, it would be fine to be antinuclear. However, this isn't the world we inhabit.” Electricity is needed for daily use but the amount we use goes up every year and contributes to climate change. To reduce climate change nuclear energy will need to be used. Unlike solar and wind farms nuclear reactors don’t take up that much space.

Nuclear power plants create many job opportunities. Nuclear energy provides twenty percent of the united state’ electricity. It also created 32,000 jobs directly and 200,000 jobs in the economy( Shellenberger Micheal USA today). Nuclear energy creates electricity and it also helps create jobs. Electricity demand is expected to rise 70% in the next 25 years and nuclear energy can help create enough energy to provide for the demand alongside of creating new jobs

Nuclear Reactors are expensive and can be dangerous. Nuclear reactors are multi-billion dollar projects. They also can have high capital costs, build times are long, and often delayed. The Fukushima meltdown caused 150,000 people to be evacuated. For a nuclear reactor to be operated the plant has to be inspected regularly which can be a finical burden. Nuclear reactors produce nuclear waste which is toxic to the environment and humans. There is no long-term plan to store nuclear energy yet. Marie Cusick an award-winning journalist stated that “Nearly a third of nuclear reactors are either unprofitable or scheduled to close”  Nuclear reactors such as the three-mile island reactor have been losing money for years and have been scheduled to be shutdown. Nuclear reactors are too expensive and dangerous to be the solution to climate change.

Nuclear energy is the solution to climate change. Nuclear reactors are safer than people think but meltdowns like Fukushima and Chernobyl give them a bad name. Nuclear energy can always produce energy unlike other clean energy sources and is more efficient.