Why Nuclear Power May Be the Only Way to Avoid Geoengineering

Climate scientist Tom Wigley argues that the climate problem cannot be solved with renewable energy alone, and that, without turning to geoengineering, consideration of the nuclear energy pathway should be an essential component of attempts to address the climate crisis.

Recently, Wigley made headlines as the co-author--with three other prominent climate scientists--of an open letter addressed to "those influencing environmental policy but opposed to nuclear power," urging them "to advocate the development and deployment of safer nuclear energy systems."  Wigley and his three colleagues argued that renewable energy alone will not be sufficient to address the climate challenge, because it cannot be scaled up quickly and cheaply enough, and that opposition to nuclear power "threatens humanity's ability to avoid dangerous climate change."

Why Nuclear Power May Be the Only Way to Avoid Geoengineering