Germany and the United States clashed on Friday over the role of nuclear power in the transition to greener energy sources in a context of tensions over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the current climate crisis.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, US Climate Envoy John Kerry said that cutting emissions fast required a certain dependence on nuclear energy, adding that without carbon capture technology lean on gas as an alternative fuel was tantamount to ignoring the root cause of the climate crisis.
Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State secretary in the Ministry of the Economy and a member of the environmentalist of the Greens, defended Germany’s plan to rely on gas as deck fuel during its phase out nuclear and coal and developing renewable energies.
administration of US President Joe Biden is pushing on Germany abandons Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project it would increase his dependence on Russian gas.
She argues that the completed pipeline pending regulatory approval would be allow the Kremlin to militarize energy against Europe at once of rising tensions with the West, which fears a Russia military incursion into Ukraine.
“Gas for example. The gas can be used as a transition fuel and it can be more only that for the longest term if someone comes up with carbon capture storage and use. But we haven’t finished that journey yet,” Kerry said.
“I personally believe we can’t make it happen. car fast like us need to without a component of nuclear in this mixture.”
He seemed to question the wisdom of Germany’s dependency on gas while calling long-term gas infrastructure “blocked assets”, not to mention Nord Stream 2, which runs under the Baltic Sea and bypasses Ukrainian territory.
Asked by a moderator if Germany decision for shut son last nuclear power plants year does not have amount to avoid the most effective path to a green future, Brantner said pointing to Kerry: “No. The answer is simple, it’s ‘no.’ of the answer. You said nuclear is ‘monumental expensive.’ Exactly. We have much cheaper way we can go there, and it’s renewable energy.”
Kerry and Brantner also disagree on so nuclear power could be transferred to the poorest countries for help they reduced coal energy emissions.
Kerry said there were promises research in the United States tackling the problems of proliferation, nuclear waste and safety related to nuclear power plants.
Brantner, including the Greens party has its roots in the anti-nuclear movement of the 70s and 80s, said Germany would not use of the taxpayer money transfer nuclear energy know-how develop countries Given the risk of nuclear proliferation.
