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Dear Sirs and Madams,
We, the undersigned NGOs, active in environment, development, disarmament and human rights issues, express our deepest regret and extreme concern that nuclear energy has been included in the draft agenda of the ninth session of the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development, and that this dangerous and unsustainable technology might, in effect, be given a fresh start by the actions of the CSD.
We consider any focus which seems to validate nuclear energy to be against both the spirit of Agenda 21 and the mandate of the CSD. Moreover, it is contrary to the interests of developing countries which require sustainable, mostly decentralized, low-cost energy systems, adapted both to their needs and the availability of their capital, labor, and natural resources. Nuclear power will not fulfill those requirements.
Nuclear power is not a clean, safe or sustainable energy source. Worldwide, nuclear power has been plagued by high cost, erratic performance, endemic technical problems, the risk of catastrophic accidents, and environmental problems such as routine radiation releases, radioactive waste management and the high cost of decommissioning.
However, financially-pressed nuclear vendors are eyeing the developing world as a 'last gasp' market for their products, and are stepping up their lobbying efforts at U.N. conferences, including the Climate Change negotiations and the CSD.
Over the past decade in most countries the overwhelming momentum of energy policy has moved towards phasing out, or not developing nuclear energy in the first place. Virtually all countries agreed in November at The Hague, during the discussions on the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), not to include nuclear energy in projects of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) that will be established under the Kyoto Protocol.
At their last meeting, the governments of the G8 stated their commitment to "encourage and facilitate investment in the development and use of sustainable energy, underpinned by enabling domestic environments, (which) will assist in mitigating the problems of climate change and air pollution. To this end, the increased use of renewable energy sources in particular will improve the quality of life, especially in developing countries."
Non-G8 countries are taking similar positions. Turkey cancelled plans for a nuclear plant at Akkuyu, with its Prime Minister stating that, "the world is abandoning nuclear power." The countries of AOSIS (the Alliance of Small Island States) have "reaffirmed (their) position that nuclear energy should not be included in the CDM". (Apia, August 2000). And, a group of twelve Latin American nations made clear, in discussions on the Convention, that they "do not accept the use of nuclear power as an energy source alternative in project-based activities." (FCCC/SB/2000/4, 1 August, 2000)
Therefore, we urge you to preserve the integrity of the CSD process by ensuring that any indications of support for non-sustainable energy technologies, particularly nuclear energy, are excluded from CSD 9 debates, exhibitions and other activities. The CSD should focus on promoting clean, secure and sustainable forms of energy for the welfare of present and future generations, as per the aim of Agenda 21.
See the list of signatories.
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