The Green Party of England and Wales and the Green Party of Ireland are strongly opposing a UK government plan to build a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point, an area in South West England that overlooks the Irish Sea. They are working hard to expose the economic and environmental risks of the plan, and hope that an EU scrutiny may still derail this socially and environmentally damaging project.
The parties have described the deal involving Chinese investment as a gambling with taxpayers’ money, because the state is offering to guarantee a level of return to foreign investors. At a time when the costs of renewable energy are rapidly falling, they say this is a ridiculously generous subsidy for an outdated industry.
Greens argue that instead of locking Britain into a costly and risky technology, the government should be investing in energy efficiency and renewables, the costs of which are rapidly decreasing. With potential profits being sent offshore to China and the nuclear pollution staying in the UK this power plant means there is a clear environmental impact. The Irish Greens are especially concerned. Another nuclear power plant on the English coast overlooking the Irish was hit with a series of leaks in the early 2000s, which caused the Irish government to complain to the Council of Europe. The Irish Greens are keen to avoid any more possible nuclear contamination. Ireland has no nuclear powerstations itself.
via UK and Irish Greens team up against state funded nuclear power plant | European Greens.
UK and Irish Greens team up against state funded nuclear power plant
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