Letter to Malcolm Turnbull signed Courthouse Group and CANC3by Beck PearseMr Malcolm Turnbull Dear Mr Turnbull, We, as concerned citizens of this country are writing to you regarding Australia’s involvement in the nuclear energy cycle. We have serious concerns about Australia’s participation in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) which will expand our uranium industry and commit Australia to the reprocessing and importation of long lived high level radioactive waste. We know that safe, alternative energy sources are feasible and urge you to genuinely consider the following issues. There is currently no safe method for the storage of nuclear waste that lasts for 250,000 years. A committal to the GNEP will see Australia’s outback, the heart of our natural and cultural heritage turn into a dumping ground, continuing this country’s horrific treatment of our Indigenous people. Australians are not convinved that nuclear reactors are a solution climate change. Building reactors emits large amounts of greenhouse gases, they take too long to build and enough of them cannot be built to offset carbon emissions in the next 20 years, the vital time period in which change needs to take place1. Known uranium reserves will run out in a few decades and force the mining of lower grade uranium which will lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions. You said on 28th February of this year; “You cannot run a modern economy on wind farms and solar panels”2 Are you aware of the substantial numbers of highly credible research papers and reports that demonstrate Australia can meet its electricity needs through a combination of wind, biomass, natural gas and greater energy efficiency?3 Australia can meet both its base load and peak electricity demands using these sources. We feel that Australia is missing out on important opportunities to harness our extensive renewable resources in order to address the climate change crisis. In terms of water usage alone, nuclear is unaffordable on the driest inhabited continent on earth. Are you aware that nuclear reactors in the US have been shut down during heat waves due to a lack of water? Lack of water has already been identified as a problem for future energy generation4. Investments in both nuclear and coal fired power stations are heavily reliant on a non-existent water supply. Water shortages earlier this year caused a doubling of electricity supply prices from coal fired power in Victoria due to insufficient water to cool plants. Do you think it is responsible to shift towards energy sources that rely heavily on large supplies of water when, alternative, safe, efficient energy sources are feasible? In May this year, in reference to nuclear power, you said that; “whether it stacks up economically or financially remains to be seen”5 We bring your attention to the fact that yearly costs per 1000 kg avoided C02 emissions are $68.9 for wind and $132.50 for nuclear power1. The nuclear industry remains extremely expensive to establish and its expansion will take public money away from the development of clean renewable energy technologies. We ask, as one voice that the Federal government pledge to: Not sign on to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership We look forward to your response and hope that our contact has been enlightening,
Sincerely,
Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle III
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