25/11/2010 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“Investing in negawatts is the cheapest way to reduce our ecological footprint. The development of renewable energy and energy-saving are not only safer but also more cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuels than nuclear energy”, said Aleksei Lotman (Estonia, UEL), Chair of PACE Environment Committee, at the opening today of a two-day conference on nuclear energy organised by the committee in Strasbourg. “Effective solutions must be found to three inter-related tasks: energy security, economic development and environmental protection. We have tough choices to make,” he added.
Also addressing the conference at its opening, Herbert Reul, Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament, stressed that all efforts must be directed towards offering citizens low-cost energy that respects the environment. “It is our responsibility as politicians to ensure that future energy costs are not disproportionate, which could oblige some of our citizens to give it up altogether," he said. The European Parliament, he added, is in favour of the “energy mix” principle, which should be able to provide our societies with enough abundant energy yet with low environmental impact, while promoting energy-saving measures.
Exchanges of views between the hundred or so parliamentarians, experts and non-governmental organisation representatives taking part in the conference will provide material for the preparation of a future report on the subject.
The themes chosen for the five working sessions cover the nuclear situation in and the rest of the world, its impact on the economy and climate change, education and training in the nuclear field and safety and waste management.