"Nuclear is Not the Solution: The Folly of Atomic Power in the Age of Climate Change" book launch with Prof. M.V. Ramana
Join UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), Centre for Climate Justice (CCJ), and Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) for this book launch and conversation with its author, Prof. M.V. Ramana, Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. All are welcome to attend.
When: Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6pm
Where: xʷθəθiqətəm (Place of Many Trees), 1st floor,
Liu Institute for Global Issues, UBC
“Nuclear energy is one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity. Investing in cheaper low-carbon
sources of energy will provide more emission reductions per dollar. [I]t takes about a decade to build a nuclear plant…
This timeline is incompatible with the urgent demands of climate science.”
Book description: Proponents of nuclear energy argue that the technology should be deployed widely to reduce carbon emissions. Nuclear is Not the Solution demonstrates why this strategy is not only naïve but dangerous. It explains why it is not feasible to expand nuclear power fast enough to make it relevant to the climate crisis and why such an expansion would divert resources away from faster and cheaper solutions. At the same time, any expansion of nuclear energy will inevitably result in a variety of undesirable risks and environmental impacts. Further, nuclear energy is deeply imbricated in creating the conditions for nuclear annihilation. Expanding nuclear power would leave us in the worst of both worlds. Nuclear is Not the Solution also delves into the political economy of nuclear energy, detailing how powerful organizations benefit economically from the nuclear energy business, by socializing the costs and risks associated with the technology onto the public, while privatizing profits.
Panelists:
Allison Macfarlane – Director, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
David Boyd – Associate Professor of Law, Policy and Sustainability, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability and SPPGA
Sara Nelson – Senior Research Manager, Centre for Climate Justice
Click here to RSVP
Visit VERSO for more information and to purchase a copy
Professor M.V. Ramana, Ph.D. is Professor and Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) at The University of British Columbia. He is also Graduate Program Director of the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) program.