Nuclear power ‘gets little public support worldwide’ via BBC

By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for the BBC indicates.

In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US bucking the trend.

Most believe that boosting efficiency and renewables can meet their needs.

Just 22% agreed that “nuclear power is relatively safe and an important source of electricity, and we should build more nuclear power plants”.

In contrast, 71% thought their country “could almost entirely replace coal and nuclear energy within 20 years by becoming highly energy-efficient and focusing on generating energy from the Sun and wind”.

Globally, 39% want to continue using existing reactors without building new ones, while 30% would like to shut everything down now.

GlobeScan polled 23,231 people in 23 countries from July to September this year, several months after an earthquake and giant tsunami devastated Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi power station.

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