Would building nuclear power stations reduce global warmings?

Question

Would building nuclear power stations reduce global warmings?

Answer 1

If you want a quick fix to a problem that will no go away, then yes - go nuclear.

But if you want a real sustainable flow of energy that will not cause damage to the Earth, as the nuclear core destroys the surrounding land, when it closed.

We should be looking at the development of Wave and Wind power, for the future.

If we get this right, and in time we should be able to advance them so they work in any kind of strength of wind, or wave.

Then we could, and must start now developing hydrogen cars, then our whole economy, and indeed the planet can be advanced, and saved.

But this can only work, if someone, a Western country sets the example. for many other to follow.

Answer 2

Our only reasonable  means of controlling the rate of global warming is by reducing our carbon emissions, and our means of energy production is certainly one of the most important factors. A fully operational nuclear power station would undoubtedly be better in that respect than a power station using fossil fuels. The act of building nuclear power stations, however, would itself produce carbon emissions which would contribute to increased global warming.

Also, nuclear fission is unsustainable in the long term. When Uranium starts to run out it will cost an increasing amount in money, energy and carbon emissions to mine it. Also nuclear fission can produce its own environmental problems as we have seen in the past.

The long term solution for energy production may be nuclear fusion. If scientists can find a stable form which can be exploited, it would mean that huge amounts of clean and cheap energy could be produced with little waste other than water and helium. Unfortunately a lot more research needs to be done in order to develop this option. Also, once it is possible to set up power stations which use nuclear fusion, it will be very expensive to do so initially.

In reality we must use all means possible to reduce our carbon emissions. Combing nuclear and renewable (wind, wave, solar, geothermal, e.t.c) forms of energy production in order to replace energy from fossil fuels. Energy efficiency is also important. The less energy we waste, the lower our carbon emissions are. We also need to take counter measures to actively reduce the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Technological means to do this are possible, but again would be very expensive. Planting more trees would help to take up excess CO2 as well, and we need to do everything we can to protect our existing forests so that they can continue to do so.

Answer 3

Yes.

It's a powerful tool that is one important part of an overall strategy to reduce global warming by:

Conserving energy.

Developing alternative sources of energy; nuclear, solar, wind. biofuels.

Developing means to capture (sequester) carbon dioxide.

This is a huge problem, we'll nead all the tools.

Answer 4

NO! building nuclear power stations is very polluting (the construction I mean) and destructive!

The only way to reduce global warming is to consume and drive less....why do people find this so difficult.

Answer 5

Everybody's wrong so far, global warming has NOTHING to do with our carbon emissions. It is merely a cycle in the life of this planet. We have only just come out of an ice-age, the earth's temperature rises and falls throughout it's life and there's nothing we can do to stop it.

Answer 6

Yes,

However is is better to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle....

Answer 7

Maybe but they would produce waste that takes thousand of years to degrade before it is safe to dispose of safely

Answer 8

With an estimated 5 BILLION year supply of uranium ALREADY in the worlds oceans its what people are eventually going to turn to to remedy global warming, whether they realize it or not.  Carbon emissions during contruction of such plants are comparable to carbon emission during contstruction of solar and wind generation plants, so forget that lame objection.

Answer 9

yes its a much cleaner compared to oil based fuel. the problem is how to contain or disposed its radioactive waste materials aside from that there is a danger of meltdown in nuclear reactor.

Answer 10

Building nuclear reactors causes a lot of CO2 emmissions from the masses of concrete and stainless steel used in the construction, plus all the builders lorries etc.

In use nuclear energy could replace fossil fuel power station and so reduce global warming gas emmisssions.

However, given the current growth ecomomic model & consumer culture the best we can really hope for is that it avoids increasing the rate of global warming  further.