Difference between revisions of "Anti-nuclear Movement in the United Kingdom"
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* [http://www.stophinkley.org/StopPress.htm Stop Hinkley / Shut Oldbury] (Somerset/Gloucestershire, south-west/west England) | * [http://www.stophinkley.org/StopPress.htm Stop Hinkley / Shut Oldbury] (Somerset/Gloucestershire, south-west/west England) | ||
* [http://www.tridentploughshares.org Trident Ploughshares] | * [http://www.tridentploughshares.org Trident Ploughshares] | ||
| − | * [http://www.wwf.org.uk/ | + | * [http://www.wwf.org.uk/news_feed.cfm?2163/Nuclear_power_unnecessary_and_unsustainable WWF-UK] |
| + | |||
| + | Major political parties clearly in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Green Party of England & Wales | ||
| + | * Green Party of Northern Ireland | ||
| + | * Scottish Green Party | ||
| + | * Scottish Nationalist Party | ||
| + | |||
| + | Major political parties clearly opposed to new nuclear power plants: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Green Party of England & Wales | ||
| + | * Green Party of Northern Ireland | ||
| + | * [http://www.libdems.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?title=Hughes%3a_New_nuclear_power_stations_a_colossal_mistake&pPK=2abda4ff-9970-4ab2-8829-ec8cd9786a5f Liberal Democrats] | ||
| + | * Scottish Green Party | ||
| + | * [http://www.snp.org/node/15328 Scottish Nationalist Party] | ||
==Academics== | ==Academics== | ||
Revision as of 23:24, 5 October 2009
In January 2008 the UK government announced plans to build new nuclear power stations, and the anti-nuclear movement in the United Kingdom has voiced concerns. There are also public concerns about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Many different groups and individuals have been involved in demonstrations and protests over the years. The Nuclear Contribution to Climate Change in the UK is much higher than thought because of the HFC emissions of the nuclear plant in Sellafield.
Background
In 1976, the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution found that it would be "morally wrong" to make a major commitment to nuclear power without first demonstrating a safe way of isolating radioactive waste. Yet the UK is about to embark on a programme to build at least 10 new reactors while still lacking a disposal site for waste from the past 50 years. According to a New Scientist report, spent fuel from the new reactors will be far more radioactive than existing waste.[1][2]
Specific groups
One of the most prominent anti-nuclear groups in the UK is the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). CND campaigns for nuclear disarmament by the UK and all countries and tighter international regulation through treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It is currently pressuring the British government to abandon its plans to replace its submarine-based Trident nuclear missile system and commit to global abolition by signing up to a Nuclear Weapons Convention. The group is also opposed to any new nuclear power stations being built in the United Kingdom. CND celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, and amongst the activities most strongly associated with the group historically are the Aldermaston Marches.
Other anti-nuclear groups in the UK include:
- Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp(aign)
- Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (Essex, east England)
- Campaign Against Nuclear Storage and Radiation (south-west England)
- Christian CND
- Communities Against Nuclear Expansion (Suffolk, east England)
- Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment (north-west England]
- Earth First!
- Faslane Peace Camp (Scotland)
- Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Friends of the Earth Scotland
- Greenpeace UK
- Kent Against a Radioactive Environment (south-east England)
- Labour CND
- Low Level Radiation Campaign
- No 2 Nuclear Power
- No New Nukes
- Nuclear-Free Local Authorities
- Nuclear People Power network
- Nuclear Pledge
- Nuclear Spin
- Nuclear Trains Action Group
- NukeWatch
- People Against Wylfa B (PAWB) (north Wales)
- Radiation-Free Lakeland (Cumbria, north-west England)
- Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
- Shut Down Sizewell (Suffolk, east England)
- Stop Hinkley / Shut Oldbury (Somerset/Gloucestershire, south-west/west England)
- Trident Ploughshares
- WWF-UK
Major political parties clearly in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament:
- Green Party of England & Wales
- Green Party of Northern Ireland
- Scottish Green Party
- Scottish Nationalist Party
Major political parties clearly opposed to new nuclear power plants:
- Green Party of England & Wales
- Green Party of Northern Ireland
- Liberal Democrats
- Scottish Green Party
- Scottish Nationalist Party
Academics
In 2008, several prominent UK academics spoke out against the government's proposal to build a new generation of nuclear power plants:[3][4]
- Frank Barnaby
- Paul Dorfman
- David Elliott
- Kate Hudson
- Jerome Ravetz
- Andy Stirling
- Stephen Thomas
- Gordon Walker
Other individuals
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|
See also
- Anti-nuclear movement in France
- Anti-nuclear movement in Germany
- List of anti-nuclear groups
- Non-nuclear future
- Nuclear controversy
References
External links
- Nuclearconsult
- Legal battles threaten nuclear power programme
- Nuclear veterans vow to fight on
- Anti-nuclear lobby 'holding back fight on climate change'
- Boats parade in anti-nuclear protest
- Arrests at anti-nuclear protest
- A new generation of CND goes on the march
- Malvern GP arrested at anti-nuclear protest
- MSP arrested in anti-nuclear demo
- Scots vote reinforces antinuclear position
- Anti-nuclear protest 50 years on
- Govt's nuclear programme will be a 'financial disaster'
- The anti-nuclear movement can achieve change
- Anti-nuclear protest at dockyard
