Controversy Example

Background – Nuclear Power in New Zealand

According to World Nuclear Association (2017) [WNA], 55% percent of the nation’s electricity is generated from hydro-electric power. However, “there has been no large-scale increase in hydro capacity since the Clyde Dam on the Clutha River was commissioned in the early 1990s” (WNA, 2017, para. 3). As a consequence, growth in electricity demand since 1990 has been mostly met by burning fossil fuel (para. 3). To minimise the nation’s carbon emissions but yet to meet its growing energy need, WNA suggests nuclear power remains an important and viable energy option for New Zealand (WNA, 2017, para. 15).

On the other hand, the public opinion in New Zealand is against nuclear power. A 2008 survey shown that only 19% of New Zealanders included nuclear when asked to choose the best energy sources for the country in the next 10 years (New Zealand Wind Energy Association, 2011). The reasons behind this unpopularity of nuclear power include 1. the lesson from historic nuclear disasters (Steinhauser, Brandl, & Johnson, 2014), the fact that earthquakes occur frequently in New Zealand (Crowley & Elliott, 2012), and the worries about mistreatment of nuclear waste (Greenberg et al., 2007).

The most popular source of energy is renewable energy, like solar and wind power, which has been highly promoted worldwide (Turner, 1999). However, renewable energy has its dark side. In the following video of Ted Talk, former renewable energy advocate Michael Shellenberger talks about the harms that can be caused by renewable energy to the environment, and his story of how he changed his mind to support nuclear power.