Dear friends,
In the wake of the crisis in Japan, heads of state are meeting Friday on nuclear safety in Europe. The dangerously ineffective proposal currently expected would create voluntary, unenforceable safety inspections - but we need mandatory safety tests, with real teeth.
In the debate over nuclear energy in Europe the next 48 hours are critical. The nuclear lobby is threatening to further erode even this already-inadequate safety measure, complaining that this weak proposal is too burdensome. We should be strengthening it, not punching new loopholes.
We’ve got two days to turn the tide towards a safe and clean energy future. Let’s build a massive petition for real nuclear safety measures -- mandatory safety tests empowered to close down failing plants, and a halt to the creation of new plants. Many are calling for phasing out nuclear altogether; others see it as lesser-evil alternative to fossil fuels -- but all can agree that safety should happen now.
Sign the petition and forward it to everyone you know across Europe - it will be delivered to the heads of state meeting:
Polls of the European Avaaz community show that we do not all share the same position on nuclear. Some want all nuclear plants decommissioned now, whilst over half of us believe Europe should use nuclear energy as a short term energy solution until alternatives can be developed. But most of us feel that high risk of nuclear energy accidents pose a security threat to our health and the environment and want no new nuclear plants to be built. And the vast majority of us agree that we should speed up development for alternative renewable energy and move to mainly rely on those sources. Whatever our position on nuclear power as a source of energy, we all agree that all nuclear facilities should be held to the utmost standards of safety now.
Yet Europe’s nuclear safety measures are totally uncoordinated and inadequate. The emergency safety tests announced this week are influenced by the nuclear lobby and fall far short of what we need -- they’re voluntary and won’t be completed for months, so failing plants can opt out of them or ratchet up safety measures like students cramming before a test! And even though the Japan crisis was exacerbated because there was nuclear waste stored within the plant, the EU proposal for stress tests does not include all nuclear facilities such as refinement and storage. The conservative EU energy commissioner has predicted that some plants won’t make the grade, but there’s no guarantee that even failing plants will be closed down.
Politicians know the public’s concerns and are listening right now -- and those who aren’t should be. Leaders of France, UK and Czech Republic have defended their pro-nuclear stance despite massive public objections. But Germany has regional elections in just two weeks, and many see Merkel’s rapid policy shift as an attempt to keep voters onboard. Experts say that with enough public pressure, our leaders could decide this week to run EU wide mandatory stress tests for all nuclear facilities set independently from the industry, and decommission those that fail. Let’s let all of our leaders know that we expect urgent and serious EU action now -- or they will pay the price.
This week we have to opportunity to halt the industry's advance, insist on immediate safety steps, and move away from nuclear and towards massive investment in renewable energy. Sign the petition and spread the word !
In Europe and around the world, our thoughts over the past weeks have been with the people of Japan as they respond to compounding challenges of a historic earthquake, a massive tsunami, and an potentially calamitous nuclear crisis. In the event the nuclear material cannot be stabilized, the threats to millions will be literally blowing in the wind. Tragically Japan has no choice now but to confront the consequences of its nuclear policy, but in Europe we still have a choice. Let’s take action now to safeguard against nuclear threats, and help steer Europe's energy towards safe and renewable fuels that can keep bring us all a brighter future.
With hope and determination,
Alice, David, Pascal, Graziela, Iain, Giulia and the whole Avaaz team.
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