Nobel Prize winners and climate researchers demand the continued existence of German nuclear power plants | Economy

“We are among the international top scientists from various research areas, including natural, environmental and climate sciences. Given the threat climate change poses to life on our planet and the clear energy crisis Germany and Europe find themselves in as Russian natural gas is no longer available, we call on you to continue operating the last remaining German nuclear power plants. open letter from about twenty scientists and some action groups to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

Signatories to the open letter include former Nobel Prize winners Klaus von Klitzing and Steven Chu. The well-known climate scientists James Hansen (Nasa, Columbia University) and Kerry Emanuel (MIT) and planetologist Carolyn Porco (University of Colorado Boulder) have also pledged their support.

The call, coordinated by the Dutch foundation RePlanet, emphasizes the importance of the remaining German nuclear power plants Emsland, Isar II and Neckarwestheim II. They state that the three reactors, with an annual production of 32.7 billion kilowatt hours, provide more than ten million households in Germany with climate-friendly electricity. This could save up to 30 million tons of CO2 per year compared to coal-fired power plants.

The closure of these plants is the result of the so-called Atomausstieg (nuclear phase-out), the German energy policy, which started in 2000 and has so far led to the decommissioning of 17 nuclear reactors. The upcoming shutdown means the end of nuclear power in Germany.

Physicist Steven Chu, Nobel laureate in 1997 and Secretary of Energy under President Obama, reacts sharply. “Ignoring the merits of nuclear power in our pursuit of a cleaner world is like refusing a lifeboat while our planet is drowning. Germany’s choice to dim the light of the atom in favor of coal jeopardizes not only its reputation, but also the delicate balance of our global climate.”

According to the experts, atomic energy is crucial to strongly reduce greenhouse gases. They argue that nuclear power plants with few resources produce a lot of energy without greenhouse gases or air pollution, regardless of geography or weather.

“The German decision to prematurely phase out almost 20,000 megawatts of clean electricity has significantly hampered the effectiveness of its climate policy. Despite investments of more than 500 billion euros in the large-scale roll-out of solar panels and wind turbines, the German electricity grid remains one of the most polluting in Europe, because they have to be supported with coal and gas,” said Olguita Oudendijk, spokesperson for RePlanet, part of the action group Core for Climate.

That is why the Dutch will join a demonstration for nuclear energy in Berlin on Saturday afternoon. The action group calls on Minister Rob Jetten (Climate and Energy) to point out the madness of their decision to the German government. Oudendijk: “If Germany makes more use of lignite power stations, it will cost human lives, according to previous research. It is extremely detrimental to CO2 emissions. The whole world suffers from this and we as the Netherlands certainly because we are so close to it. Now the absurd situation may even arise that Germany, in order to meet its objectives, will import CO2-free nuclear energy from the Netherlands, which will build nuclear power plants.”

Earlier this week, Minister Jetten indicated that he would stick to the plan to build two new nuclear power plants in the Netherlands. The intention is that the two new nuclear power stations will be located in Borssele: there is already knowledge, experience and support there and the energy can be converted into hydrogen. However, critics also see problems in this, because the Zeeland electricity grid is already heavily loaded by a lot of wind energy. According to the plans, the final decision on the nuclear power plants will be made in about a year and a half.

In fact, the three remaining nuclear reactors in Germany were supposed to be shut down at the end of last year. But as a result of the war in Ukraine, energy prices shot up and panic broke out in Germany. Despite the energy crisis in Europe and Germany’s fear of energy shortages, the chosen plan is “irreversible,” Robert Habeck, the party’s co-chairman and Germany’s climate minister, said firmly last weekend.

Oudendijk, however, remains combative: “At least six nuclear power plants can be reopened. Now we have to wait for some rationale and which politician has the guts to look at the facts. That is why it makes sense to continue to take action.”