| More than 80% civil engineers are now not only | | | | non-renewable (fossil fuel) sources, and thereby |
| convinced that Climate Change is taking place: | | | | raising our national carbon dioxide emissions. |
| They also claim to be worried about it, according | | | | Nuclear power is relatively carbon neutral, but all |
| to a poll of 519 Chartered UK Civil Engineers. | | | | new nuclear installations have been halted for the |
| The poll was carried out by the New Civil | | | | past 15 years or so in the UK, due to: |
| Engineer, the official weekly magazine of the | | | | * public hostility to the acceptance of the risk of |
| profession, which is sent out to all members of | | | | nuclear incidents, * the inability of the UK |
| the Institution of Civil Engineers. It was published in | | | | government to solve the problem of nuclear |
| the 19 January 2006 edition. | | | | waste disposal, |
| What is more striking is that 56% said that they | | | | * and concerns about nuclear proliferation should |
| were prepared to change their lifestyles to help | | | | the UK be shown to be encouraging the use of |
| cut Britain’s energy consumption, and 51% of | | | | nuclear at home when maintaining a policy that |
| those that expressed an opinion say that they | | | | the developing nations should not themselves |
| would be prepared to alter their lifestyles to | | | | “Go nuclear”. |
| reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, | | | | Therefore, Dr Lovelock has proposed that |
| but would only do so - probably quite | | | | dangerous or not, the UK should build more |
| pragmatically and reasonably - if pushed to so do | | | | nuclear power plants, and this has encouraged |
| by taxation or legislation to take these steps. | | | | government and professionals alike to reopen the |
| Also, in the response to these questions a | | | | nuclear debate. This debate has now started, and |
| surprisingly large percentage actually said they | | | | early indications are that the civil engineers |
| would be prepared to change their lifestyle “a | | | | involved in much of the energy strategy work |
| lot”. | | | | and opinion-forming within government will be so |
| Subsequent editions have not raised any | | | | concerned about carbon dioxide emissions that all |
| comment from the members in the letter page | | | | other concerns about nuclear power will be |
| or the editorial. So we can assume that | | | | pushed aside. Such risks may be seen as |
| acceptance of anthropomorphic Climate Change in | | | | “risks to be managed” and risk taking of |
| the profession is mainstream and uncontested. | | | | this magnitude, as being a reasonable strategy, |
| The poll was actually carried out to gauge the | | | | when faced by the alternative threat of global |
| opinions of the profession on the nuclear debate | | | | catastrophe. |
| currently underway; a debate which has been | | | | However, whatever one’s view may be on |
| given additional momentum by Dr Lovelock’s | | | | the nuclear power debate, the groundswell of |
| view that global warming effects are so severe, | | | | opinion is changing at least among this group of |
| and so inevitable now, that unless the rate of | | | | professionals. Although one poll can never be |
| carbon emissions are reduced in less time than is | | | | considered conclusive it shows that these |
| available for normal political and economic action, | | | | professionals at least, comprise a constituency of |
| there will be no means by which the inevitable | | | | opinion which, if in time this was repeated across |
| drift toward catastrophe of Climate Change can | | | | the community, would begin to sway the |
| be halted. | | | | government toward measures which might bring |
| Furthermore, Porfessor Lovelock (originator of | | | | real change in the future. |
| the Gaia Theory of natural systems) says that | | | | _________________ |
| the UK has no choice but to go-nuclear again in a | | | | Steve Last is an environmental engineer who is |
| big way, especially since most of the 21% of our | | | | also a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), and lives |
| power which is at present generated by nuclear | | | | in the county of Shropshire, UK. CEnv is a new |
| power stations is soon to be lost when they are | | | | and growing academic discipline created in the last |
| closed, due to ageing. | | | | two years. All Chartered Environmentalists pledge |
| In fact, unless these stations are refurbished soon | | | | to further the principles of sustainability. |
| to extend their lives, only 7% of our power will | | | | Please visit “Climate Change for Better or |
| be generated from nuclear by 2013, and we will | | | | Worse”, an independent web site about |
| have to build new nuclear plants just to avoid a | | | | Climate Change to find out more, and for the |
| significant demand for alternative forms of | | | | references given. |
| generation, which can only be fully satisfied from | | | | |