Brussels, 30/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The own initiative report on the "stakes at play for nuclear produced electricity" to be presented by Claude Cambus on 27 January at the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), has been postponed till 25-26 February (EUROPE 28 January p 15). The reasons being is the introduction, during the Bureau meeting on 26 January, of around forty amendments by the Euronatur Director, Lutz Ribbe from Germany. Mr Cambus pointed out that Mr Ribbe did not want, like the anti-nuclear lobby does, an "opinion that says what can and what cannot pas as being nuclear". The recommendation was adopted with almost total unanimity during he "transport" section meeting on 8 January.
In this recommendation, the committee states that nuclear power should constitute one of the components of a diversified energy policy that is balanced and sustainable for the EU. It also considers that nuclear power is essential if the EU wants sustainable development to figure in its policies. the committee confirmed that nuclear power has contributed in large part to satisfying the energy needs of the EU and guaranteeing the security of its supplies. The committee added that Europe needed nuclear power for meeting its commitments for reducing CO2 emissions as laid down in the Kyoto Protocol. According to the committee, it is currently impossible to respect the CO2 emission stabilisation imperatives in the absence of new developments in technology and with consumer behaviour as it now stands; the abandoning of nuclear power would therefore only aggravate climate change related problems.
The rapporteur, Claude Cambus (he is also Secretary General of the European Confederation of Managers), thinks that this involves a" techno-economic recommendation on a world scale". He explains that the messages is essentially one that if nuclear power is halted and e are unable to replace it with other energy sources the situation would be disastrous. Cambus points out that 35% of the EU's energy needs are currently met by nuclear power and that this kind of power prevents the production of 500 million tonnes of CO2.