The Climate Challenge
Climate change poses a serious risk to the wellbeing of humanity and the life with which we share this planet.
Global temperature is rising rapidly, correlating closely with greenhouse gas emissions. The energy sector is the greatest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (see chart). Energy production also contributes to deforestation.
We urgently need to transition to energy sources with lower impact on our atmosphere and ecosystems.
Nuclear energy produces low greenhouse gas emissions and requires little land, but it is banned in Australia.
Energy is essential to human prosperity
The story of the past century has been of people rising out of poverty by gaining access to more energy. This explains why, despite investment in clean energy, fossil fuels account for over 80% of all energy used (see chart).
WePlanet Australia believes it is good that people to continue to have greater access to energy. The challenge is to continue this trend while phasing out fossil fuels.
The scale of this challenge is staggering. Decarbonisation involves not only displacing fossil fuels in our current electricity grid, but also electrifying transport, industrial processes, and our exports.
To do this, Australia needs to generate several times more electricity than it does now. All clean energy options need to be on the table so we can use the best tools for the job.
Rethink Nuclear
Australia is a wealthy, industrialised nation that has benefited immensely from fossil fuels. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the world to be leaders in the clean energy transition.
While Australia is investing in solutions such as wind and solar, one solution is banned by law: nuclear energy. The ban is not in the Australian public's best interest. It is an unnecessary barrier to the use of a proven source of clean, safe and reliable energy technology. In a worsening global climate emergency, this barrier is morally and politically unjustifiable.
In 2022, Australia's parliament held an inquiry into a bill to lift the ban on nuclear energy. Read our submission to the inquiry here (PDF)
