OTTAWA - 30 years after the Chernobyl disaster, the world once again pauses to remember the horrible tragedy and consider whether nuclear power is worth the risk.
“Any short term benefits of nuclear power in terms of greenhouse gas reduction are far outweighed by the massive and perpetual risks of disaster,”
“Canada should be considering how we can phase out our nuclear energy stations. Instead, more money is pouring in, with Ontario dedicating $12.8B to the refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear plant. It is irresponsible,” said Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands.
“Nuclear is not an economically sound power source. It is not a clean or green power source. Most importantly, it is not a safe power source,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party. “Every dollar we pledge to nuclear power is a dollar that is not invested in finding a sustainable energy path forward.”
The Green Party has long called for a full scale and independent review of nuclear safety in Canada.
On April 26th, 1986, the worst nuclear power plant accident in history released a cloud of radioactive contamination, equivalent to 400 times that of the Hiroshima bomb, over large parts of Europe. The fallout has been linked to at least 9,000 excess cancer deaths, according to the World Health Organization. In the Ukraine, 2.3 million people are officially reported as “having suffered from the catastrophe.”
“We need to focus on developing renewable energies which really can be economical and safe. Nuclear is not a solution to the climate crisis. We can eliminate fossil fuels from electricity without putting costly investments in a problematic option. Energy efficiency and renewables are faster and cheaper options,” said May.