by Erik Curren from Energy Bulletin.
With the present tragedy of Japan's earthquake, the ultimate effects of which are still unknown, this is an exceedingly timely article.
The author of this article is reacting to James Hansen's latest book entitled, Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity. While lauding, as I do, Hansen's many activities and views in opposition to the use of fossil fuels, he is highly ambivalent about Hansen's embrace of nuclear energy. This is where I part company with both.
To be sure, Hansen is one of our greatest warriors in opposition to the fossil fuel industry, and has used his widely recognized scientific expertise to argue convincingly that the continued use of fossil fuels at even present rates will end in catastrophic climate change. On the other hand, I believe that his arguments for nuclear power lack conviction, and are based more on hope than science, and very little on sound economics. See this, this, and this.
Without clean, virtually unlimited quantities of power capitalism, which demands growth and increasing consumption, simply cannot continue. Hence, like a terminal heroin addict, capitalists will insist on continuing their killer habit until we all are in peril. I believe that Hansen's thinking is informed by this same belief in capitalism and the widespread assumption "that there is no alternative" (TINA).
The capitalist ruling classes have been highly successful in propagating this view through their comprehensive control of information media, education, and the film industry. And, if we continue to believe in TINA and act accordingly, humanity will surely perish from the Earth. IT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE!
There are alternatives. See the ones listed at the top right hand side of this blog.
