Reaction Time: Climate Change and the Nuclear Option: Quarterly Essay 27

In Reaction Time, Ian Lowe examines the science and the politics of nuclear power, as well as the feasible alternatives in an era of global warming.

Australia is at a crossroads- do we need to embrace a nuclear future? In Reaction Time, Ian Lowe examines the science and the politics of nuclear power, as well as the feasible alternatives in an era of global warming. Lowe discusses his one-time belief in nuclear power and what led to the faltering of that belief. He engages with the leading environmentalists, like James Lovelock, who advocate going nuclear, as well as with the less savoury aspects of the Australian politicking. He discusses whether other countries might need to use nuclear power, even if Australia doesn’t. He offers an authoritative survey of the leading alternatives for Australia - from ‘hot rocks’ to ‘clean coal’. Above all, he explains why taking the nuclear option would be a decisive step in the wrong direction - economically, environmentally, politically and socially.