Environmental security

Is Nuclear Power Vital to Hitting CO2 Emissions Targets?

Nuclear power is fizzling.

In recent years, many countries have largely stopped building new nuclear plants and are looking elsewhere for power. In the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011, Japan shut down all its nuclear reactors, though a few have restarted since last year. Germany also moved to phase out nuclear power by 2022. (China is a notable exception, with 20 reactors under construction.)

Market conditions heavily favor cheaper fuels such as natural gas over nuclear. And the regulatory climate favors other sources of energy. In the U.S., the Obama administration introduced rules requiring power plants to cut CO2 emissions 32% from 2005 levels by 2030, though President-elect Donald Trump says he will drop that rule.