The growth of nuclear power: drivers & constraints

Many countries around the worldare taking a fresh look at nuclear power.An important cause of what has cometo be called the global nuclear renaissanceis the prospect of severe disruptionsto the earth’s climate broughtabout by continued increases in greenhousegas emissions, primarily fromthe combustion of fossil fuels. Nuclearpower occupies a unique position inthe debate over global climate changeas the only carbon-free energy sourcethat is already contributing to worldenergy supplies on a large scale andthat is also expandable with few inherentlimits. These attributes are regularlyhighlighted by nuclear energy advocatesand now, increasingly, by someformerly anti-nuclear activists, evenas other environmentalists remainstrongly opposed to this technology