Your wording could be improved as - even with his apparently pro-nuclear views - there
is no way that the words "climate denier" should be used anywhere in conjunction with
Hansen. (And yes, I did read it correctly hence am not accusing you of "calling" him one.)
I agree with major points of your post:
> it doesn't magically transform the characteristics of nuclear power into a good
> solution for climate carbon.
> (nuclear power) is too costly, too slow to deploy, it comes with risks of nuclear weapons
> proliferation and meltdowns
Above that, it neither could nor should be grown as human society (if not human nature)
is most definitely NOT in a suitable state to be trusted with such a technology.
In order to drown out your "crickets":
> what do you think the public reaction will be globally if/when another meltdown occurs
> that doesn't get wondrously blown out to sea and instead takes with it a major
> population/economic center?
Blind ignorant panic. Screaming headlines and overpaid irrelevant commentators. Again.
> What will happen then to all of the investment of low carbon dollars in nuclear?
Even more of it will be wasted in knee-jerk responses that will do nothing to make
the world safer. Still, I suppose someone will get votes (and that means pocket money kids!)
for "forcing through" policy changes that will benefit the coal & gas industries far
more than the renewable energy ones.
The silver lining for this would be that no new nuclear power stations would be built
in an even wider segment of the world but the cloud overwhelming it would be dirty,
black & deadly - both in the short term (particulate & heavy metal pollution will kill
more than radiation) and the long term (the pulse of CO2/NOx/CH4 that warms the
atmosphere & the oceans will cause the deaths of millions and will not be as easy
to remediate as simply putting a "Closed" sign on the front of a power station).
Still, I suppose a cynic would say that the cloud itself is really a silver lining as it
will bring forward the events that are currently being brushed under the carpet by
all of the usual liars at the moment in order to preserve their profits ... that can only
be a good thing as it will put more focus on fixing the problem (and, hopefully, the
painful punishment of those in charge of causing it).
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
= new reply since forum marked as read