On March 13th, 2011 The World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) called for a global ban on new nuclear power and a phase-out of current plants, as well as a decisive, immediate move to 100% renewable energy. The statement by the WCRE began with an expression of sympathy and solidarity with the people of Japan, before describing the failures at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant as the result of an "entirely unnecessary" reliance on nuclear power.

"The WCRE insists on the global and coordinated move to finally outlaw all nuclear power," declared the WCRE in a press statement. "After Harrisburg, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima it is time to wake up and terminate reliance on and trade in this incredibly dangerous technology."

"No matter how small the risk of a similar event may be in any country - it can never be excluded. And when it does take place, as it inexorably will following the mathematical laws of chance, it brings with it unmeasurable and uninsurable damage risks, virtually guaranteeing generations of fatalities and tragedy among the yet unborn."

Four explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi plant

As of March 15th, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has suffered four explosions in the aftermath of the March 11th, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. During that time the plants have repeatedly released radiation, at times in excess of the government's annual exposure thresholds, and residents within 20km of the plant have been evacuated.

Japanese nuclear authorities and government officials have made statements to the condition of the plants which have at times been contradictory. On March 12th 2011 the nation's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) stated that the initial explosion could only have been caused by a meltdown of the reactor core, whereas Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tokyo, Japan) spokespersons and Japanese government officials have said that the explosion was caused by a build-up of gases.

French Nuclear Authority says incident is INES level 6

On March 15th, 2011 André-Claude Lacoste, the President of France's Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire stated that the fourth explosion at the plant earlier that day brings the situation at the plant to level 6, the second-highest level on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

Japanese officials on March 12th, 2011 estimated that the incident was a level 4 occurrence. To date there has only been one level 7 occurrence, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine in 1986, and one other level 6 incident, the Kyshtym Disaster in Mayak, Russia in 1957.

U.S. DOE remains committed to new nuclear plants

However, despite a growing tide of global public outcry against nuclear power as new details of the Fukushima incident emerge, on March 15th, 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu restated the Obama Administration's commitment to loan guarantees for four new U.S. nuclear reactors.

WCRE: nuclear plant issues damaging to global economic system

The WCRE also notes that the costs of the failure of the Fukushima plants include the risk of damage to the global economic system, suggesting that the emergency closure of nuclear power plants is a factor in a series of controlled black-outs in Tokyo, one of three primary global financial hubs. The organization further states that all nations can be powered solely by renewable energy.

2011-03-16| Courtesy: World Council for Renewable Energy | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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