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Archived press release

Friends of the Earth pulls out of nuclear consultation

7 September 2007

Friends of the Earth announced today that it has withdrawn from the Government's public consultation on nuclear power because it is seriously flawed. The consultation is also being boycotted by Greenpeace, WWF-UK, CND and the Green Alliance.

Friends of the Earth's Director, Tony Juniper, said:

"This is not a genuine consultation about nuclear power. It is deeply flawed and it is clear that the Government has essentially made up its mind. We are perfectly happy to debate the issue of nuclear power, but we are not prepared to take part in this latest Government farce.

"Nuclear power is not a solution to climate change. A new programme would only generate around four per cent of the UK's energy consumption. It is expensive and dangerous, and will leave a highly toxic legacy for many generations to come. There are lots of non-nuclear alternatives that would combat climate change, maintain energy security and keep the lights on. The Government should invest in these solutions and make Britain a world leader in developing a safe and sustainable low-carbon economy."

Friends of the Earth has withdrawn from the consultation for a number of reasons. These include:

• A lack of clear non nuclear options which would have facilitated informed public debate;
• A failure to provide adequate information about the wider dangers of nuclear power, such as terrorism and proliferation;
• The `consultation' is being rushed through in five months over the summer period, and the NGO stakeholder group participation process has been rushed). The Sustainable Development Commission recommended nine months;
• The Government appears to have already made up its mind to push ahead with a new nuclear programme.

Friends of the Earth nuclear briefing (PDF† )

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

If you are a journalist seeking press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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