Deletions
- Preamble
- Nuclear power is one of the lowest-carbon sources of electricity, as recognized by IPCC and United
- Nations ECE. A majority of Canadians support using nuclear energy to generate electricity.
- Proposal text
- Green Party of Canada WILL CEASE BLANKET-OPPOSITION TO NUCLEAR POWER AS A SOURCE OF LOW-CARBON
- ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION.
- Type of Proposal
- Public policy that the party would represent.
- Objective / Benefit
- This resolution is intended to withdraw existing GPC policies which oppose Canada's use of nuclear
- technologies for non-military purposes. GPC policies which impede nuclear by calling for "renewable"
- energy shall be updated to replace "renewable" with "clean".
- If your proposal replaces an existing policy or policies, which one does it replace?
- 1996 Foreign Aid - repeal
- G06-p11 Enhanced Nuclear Policy - repeal
- 1998 - Peace and Security - repeal
- G08-p012 Nuclear Power - repeal
- G10-p31 Carbon Free National Feed-in Tariff - Amend: remove "non-nuclear,"
- G08-136 Energy Transition Plan - Amend: change "renewable energy" to "clean energy"
- G08-p137 Support of Distributed Electrical Power Grid Research - Amend: change "renewable energy" to
- "clean energy"
- List any supporting evidence for your proposal
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe issued a report comparing not just lifecycle carbon
- emissions for various electricity sources, but overall impact on the environment and human health.
- Nuclear power was the single lowest CO2eq /kWh electricity source studied. The single lowest impact
- on ecosystems. And among the very lowest impact on human health. (CO2: Page 8. Ecosystems: Page 57.
- Human health: Page 58.)
- https://unece.org/sed/documents/2021/10/reports/life-cycle-assessment-electricity-generation-options
- Our World In Data summarizes a modern assessment of various electricity system's safety and
- cleanliness. While not as in-depth or recent as UN ECE's study, Our World In Data clearly positioned
- nuclear in 2020 as one of humanity's safest and cleanest energy sources.
- https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy
-Dr. Gordon Edwards has repeatedly acknowledged nuclear power is a low-carbon source of power-generation. https://youtu.be/HKIcnbMMdO0?t=24- The nuclear supply chain for CANDU refurbishments is 98%
- Canadian. https://www.opg.com/documents/2021-ontario-nuclear-collaboration-report/
- This can be contrasted with other low (but not as low as nuclear) carbon energy sources where
- components are not domestically produced.
- https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/79fdad93-9025-49ad-ba16-c26d718cc070
- Nuclear's domestic, Canadian, supply chain still achieves a cost /kWh only beaten by
- hydropower. https://www.oeb.ca/sites/default/files/rpp-price-report-20211022.pdf
- On April 23, 2023, Dr. Chris Keefer debated Dr. Gordon Edwards on the subject of nuclear power in
- Canada. This was the "SMR Roundtable" that GPC members might have experienced, if a pro-nuclear
- voice had been allowed to participate in our conversation among opponents of nuclear
- power. https://youtu.be/LvMC8TK025w
- Angus Reid Institute finds increasing support from Canadians for nuclear power. In June 2021, 51% of
- Canadians said they would like to see further development of nuclear power generation. Now 57% say
- the same. https://angusreid.org/canada-energy-nuclear-power-oil-and-gas-wind-solar/
- This 57% of Canadians supporting nuclear matches a similar trend in the United States, where also
- now 57% support nuclear power.
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/18/growing-share-of-americans-favor-more-nuclear-power/
- Germany serves as a cautionary tale that renewables have not replaced their nuclear fleet. This
- video details use on online grid monitoring tools to evaluate Elizabeth May's statement (made during
- COP28) that shutting down nuclear power has "freed up" the grid to accept renewable energy, while
- not also noting that German grid remains high-carbon, and Germany immediately transitioned (upon the
- closure of their last nuclear power plants) from being net-exporter of electricity to net-importer
- of electricity. https://youtu.be/8rcMwmGuGSo
- Does this proposal affect any particular group and what efforts have been made to consult with the
- group or groups?
- N/A
- Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?
- Yes
- Please indicate the language the proposal is being submitted in.
- English
Additions
- Preamble
- Nuclear power is one of the lowest-carbon sources of electricity, as recognized by IPCC and United
- Nations ECE. A majority of Canadians support using nuclear energy to generate electricity.
- Proposal text
- Green Party of Canada WILL CEASE BLANKET-OPPOSITION TO NUCLEAR POWER AS A SOURCE OF LOW-CARBON
- ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION.
- Type of Proposal
- Public policy that the party would represent.
- Objective / Benefit
- This resolution is intended to withdraw existing GPC policies which oppose Canada's use of nuclear
- technologies for non-military purposes. GPC policies which impede nuclear by calling for "renewable"
- energy shall be updated to replace "renewable" with "clean".
- If your proposal replaces an existing policy or policies, which one does it replace?
- 1996 Foreign Aid - repeal
- G06-p11 Enhanced Nuclear Policy - repeal
- 1998 - Peace and Security - repeal
- G08-p012 Nuclear Power - repeal
- G10-p31 Carbon Free National Feed-in Tariff - Amend: remove "non-nuclear,"
- G08-136 Energy Transition Plan - Amend: change "renewable energy" to "clean energy"
- G08-p137 Support of Distributed Electrical Power Grid Research - Amend: change "renewable energy" to
- "clean energy"
- List any supporting evidence for your proposal
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe issued a report comparing not just lifecycle carbon
- emissions for various electricity sources, but overall impact on the environment and human health.
- Nuclear power was the single lowest CO2eq /kWh electricity source studied. The single lowest impact
- on ecosystems. And among the very lowest impact on human health. (CO2: Page 8. Ecosystems: Page 57.
- Human health: Page 58.)
- https://unece.org/sed/documents/2021/10/reports/life-cycle-assessment-electricity-generation-options
- Our World In Data summarizes a modern assessment of various electricity system's safety and
- cleanliness. While not as in-depth or recent as UN ECE's study, Our World In Data clearly positioned
- nuclear in 2020 as one of humanity's safest and cleanest energy sources.
- https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy
- +Despite his continued opposition to nuclear power, Dr. Gordon Edwards acknowledges "Low-carbon
- +emitting technologies include solar, wind, hydro and nuclear" in a 2021 "Briefing paper: The
- +proposed nuclear reactors (SMRs) for New Brunswick". In GPC Nuclear Roundtable Dr. Gordon Edward
- +also observes that splitting atoms for energy does not release carbon.
- +https://youtu.be/HKIcnbMMdO0?t=24
- The nuclear supply chain for CANDU refurbishments is 98%
- Canadian. https://www.opg.com/documents/2021-ontario-nuclear-collaboration-report/
- This can be contrasted with other low (but not as low as nuclear) carbon energy sources where
- components are not domestically produced.
- https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/79fdad93-9025-49ad-ba16-c26d718cc070
- Nuclear's domestic, Canadian, supply chain still achieves a cost /kWh only beaten by
- hydropower. https://www.oeb.ca/sites/default/files/rpp-price-report-20211022.pdf
- On April 23, 2023, Dr. Chris Keefer debated Dr. Gordon Edwards on the subject of nuclear power in
- Canada. This was the "SMR Roundtable" that GPC members might have experienced, if a pro-nuclear
- voice had been allowed to participate in our conversation among opponents of nuclear
- power. https://youtu.be/LvMC8TK025w
- Angus Reid Institute finds increasing support from Canadians for nuclear power. In June 2021, 51% of
- Canadians said they would like to see further development of nuclear power generation. Now 57% say
- the same. https://angusreid.org/canada-energy-nuclear-power-oil-and-gas-wind-solar/
- This 57% of Canadians supporting nuclear matches a similar trend in the United States, where also
- now 57% support nuclear power.
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/18/growing-share-of-americans-favor-more-nuclear-power/
- Germany serves as a cautionary tale that renewables have not replaced their nuclear fleet. This
- video details use on online grid monitoring tools to evaluate Elizabeth May's statement (made during
- COP28) that shutting down nuclear power has "freed up" the grid to accept renewable energy, while
- not also noting that German grid remains high-carbon, and Germany immediately transitioned (upon the
- closure of their last nuclear power plants) from being net-exporter of electricity to net-importer
- of electricity. https://youtu.be/8rcMwmGuGSo
- Does this proposal affect any particular group and what efforts have been made to consult with the
- group or groups?
- N/A
- Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?
- Yes
- Please indicate the language the proposal is being submitted in.
- English
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Conversation with Blake Hamilton
@marymilander_hotmail : I for one can most definitely appreciate your passion for a renewable, sustainable future—that's something that fundamentally unites us all as Greens. Supporting wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and other renewables is absolutely essentially to the party’s vision. No one is disputing that, nor trying to change the core of our vision. That's not what this motion is about.
The problem is that dismissing and opposing nuclear as an option _alongside_ renewables terribly limits our ability to fully decarbonize, and alienates many voters who validly see nuclear as part of a balanced clean energy mix. Many respected environmentalists, scientists, and international bodies like the IPCC clearly recognize nuclear’s role in providing reliable, low-carbon energy that _complements_ renewables, instead of displacing them. Continued blanket opposition to nuclear creates an impression that we’re prioritizing rigid dogmatic ideology over truly evidence-based policy, holding back our electoral progress with environmentally-minded but pragmatic Canadians.
In point of fact, nuclear has one of the lowest lifecycle emissions of any energy source, comparable to wind and even lower than solar. Nuclear is just as clean as renewables - that's a fact. Moreover, wastes are not minimal if real terms but also highly regulated and contained, with truly safe long-term disposal solutions like deep geological repositories in already successfully deployed elsewhere - Finland, for example. Nuclear also provides a stable, reliable, 24/7 baseload power that renewables alone can’t guarantee due to intermittency...not without extensive battery/storage infrastructure to back them up - which is not only very expensive but also ecologically far more damaging (many square km of land use required = much more wildlife & habitat disruption & destruction). Partnering with nuclear can crucially help reduce reliance on fossil fuels in peak-demand or low-renewable conditions.
By remaining open to ALL clean energy options, including nuclear, we can appeal to a broader base who care about both environmental protection and practical solutions for energy security. Embracing such a balanced, evidence-driven approach doesn’t dilute our principles; rather, it strengthens our commitment to effective, science-based climate action. If we want to truly lead Canada toward a zero-carbon future, we should consider _every_ clean energy tool available to us. This pragmatic approach could help us gain traction with more Canadians who are ready for meaningful climate action without rigid exclusions anchored in outdated dogmatic ideologies.
Blake + Mary, I'm not sure this is really where this discussion ought to take place... you're sort of commenting on a very specific modification to my policy proposal and not the proposal itself. (There's a zillion pages on this website.)
I think this is the actual place to discuss...
Nuclear Power: Cease Blanket Opposition
If you re-post there I'll re-reply there too.
But here's my 2c as the author of this proposal.
Nuclear Power has the smallest impact on nature, and the smallest impact on human health.
That is according to United Nations ECE Lifecycle Impact Report, which I do cite in my policy proposal.
https://unece.org/sed/documents/2021/10/reports/life-cycle-assessment-electricity-generation-options
...I really, strongly, recommend at least skimming thru that report. Please check it out. I am in support of nuclear power for the exact same reasons Mary that you stating are the basis of your opposition to it.
Please don't "various wastes" this. There's quantity to everything, and /kWh nuclear's wastes are minimal. I'd be happy to discuss any one particular thing which concerns you the most, if you think there's something unique about nuclear power which warrants GPC's complete opposition.
What is the ONE THING which you oppose about nuclear power the most, and we can dig into it.
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