Germany's coalition government has announced a reversal of policy that will see all the country's nuclear power plants phased out by 2022.
The decision makes Germany the biggest industrial power to announce plans to give up nuclear energy.
Environment Minister Norbert Rottgen made the announcement following late-night talks.
Chancellor Angela Merkel set up a panel to review nuclear power following the crisis at Fukushima in Japan.
There have been mass anti-nuclear protests across Germany in the wake of March's Fukushima crisis, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami.
This is first and foremost a huge mistake. Germany gets 23% of it's power from nuclear and this will need to be replaced. The biggest problem is that I hear about "sustainable" and "green" replacements, but I've not heard a plan yet, let alone one that uses existing tech.
Next, it's panicky nonsense; this economic policy fiasco was precipitated by the recent disaster in Japan, but apparently geology/geography is not taught in German schools. Central Europe is in a low-tectonic activity zone (certainly compared to Japan) and all but the Baltic coast is totally immune to tsunami. This is the radical Greens at work, as there is no rational reason to completely junk such a large part of their energy production.
The costs of this (increased energy costs leading to decreased economic competitiveness, etc.) have implications throughout the Euro zone, and if Greece etc. need bailouts down the road, who will be able to do it? The death knell has yet to sound for the Euro, but the ringers are limbering up. Death pool for the Euro anyone?
4 comments:
I agree with U fully. The politicians often react foolishly leaving the price tag to be paid by the common man
It is a nice blog I found dealing good topics.
VMS,
Thanks; I'm sporadic with the updates, but I do try at least make people think about stuff they otherwise might not.
Germany, not the sunniest place in the world is number one in the world for solar energy. Moreover it has a highly disciplined and sober populace ready to sacrifice and contribute i.e. do what it takes unlike elsewhere where fat people throw hissy fits from behind the wheel of their SUVs and trucks when gas goes over $4.00 a gallon.
I can't quite tell if you're being sarcastic or not. In case you're not, I don't consider rabid panicky "Greenness" to be sober, more in the lines of self-flagellation and lack of rational analysis.
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