Environmental organisations say no to new nuclear in Wales

Following speculation in the press that Tony Blair is pushing for a nuclear power revival in the UK, leading Welsh environmental organisations have come together to oppose new nuclear development.

The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) and Friends of the Earth Cymru have come together to promote the *Keep Wales Nuclear Free* campaign, initiated in December by Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth.

The groups say that nuclear power is expensive, slow to install, a threat to public health and a potential terrorist target. They also point out that, after fifty years of nuclear generation in the UK, there is still no agreed plan for disposal of highly dangerous nuclear waste. They believe that a Welsh energy policy must focus on developing energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Paul Allen, Development Director of the Centre for Alternative Technology said,

"I am please to be part of this important project. A shift of energy policy from the current inefficient use of fossil and nuclear fuels to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources is not only imperative for preventing runaway climate change, it is also vital to our international security."

Julian Rosser, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru commented:

"The industry spin machine seems to have transformed nuclear power from dead duck to spring chicken almost overnight. However effective their lobbying has been, the fact remains that nuclear is not safe, secure, financially viable or reliable. There is massive untapped potential in Wales for saving energy and generating clean green renewable electricity. That would help tackle dangerous climate change and create far more jobs than nuclear power."

Baz Samradh, Co-ordinator of Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth which launched its anti-nuclear petition in December, said,

"We're delighted that big names like CAT and Friends of the Earth Cymru have thrown their weight behind the Keep Wales Nuclear Free campaign. We very much hope that other groups in Wales will join in and that people across the country will use the opportunity to download the petition and gather signatures."

The campaign has a new website - www.keepwalesnuclearfree.org.uk where individuals and organisations can take action against new nuclear in Wales by endorsing a petition and signing up as an armchair activist.

Notes

Keep Wales Nuclear Free
More information about the new campaign is available online at www.keepwalesnuclearfree.org.uk
The campaign is endorsed by the following organisations:
* Centre for Alternative Technology
* Friends of the Earth Cymru
* Canolfan Corris
* Dyfi Valley Seed Savers
* Green Party
* NoNewNukes
* No2NuclearPower
* Solar Sense/B9 NRG Engineers (Swansea)
* Sundance Renewables
* Swansea Environment Centre
* tincan limited
This campaign was initially inspired by Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth.

Paul Allen - full quote
"I am please to be part of this important project. The choices we make as we move towards sustainable energy generation will have powerful and far-reaching consequences: if a minority of powerful nations continue to favour an energy policy based on the current inefficient use of fossil and nuclear fuels with their vulnerable supply lines, they will need to protect it with a huge world-wide police force at enormous expense and risk to all our civil liberties. On the other hand, if we begin a shift to an energy system based on equitable and efficient use of renewable energy sources, and re-localised supply systems, we can create communities that no one can easily threaten and, perhaps more importantly, which threaten no one else"

CAT Charity Ltd
Centre for Alternative Technology Charity Limited, a company limited by
guarantee; Charity no. 265239; company no.1090006, registered in Wales;
registered office: Llwyngwern, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ