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July/August 2001 NW Newsmakers
Germany To Phase Out Nuclear Energy

Germany - In keeping with Europe's ongoing effort to move toward responsible environmental management, Germany is set to phase out its 19 nuclear power stations over the next 20 years. The government deal with the energy companies will make Germany the first European country to announce an end to nuclear power.

Less than a week after the German deal, Sweden voiced its intention to phase out coal and nuclear power. "Both coal and nuclear power have to be phased out if we are to reach sustainable development around the Baltic Sea," said Environment minister, Kjell Larsson. Sweden's 11 nuclear reactors provide 48% of the country's power with the rest coming from wind, sun, hydro and biomass. The Swedish government is also helping Lithuania close down one of their nuclear reactors.

Mr. Larsson said that Sweden wants to lead the world in developing renewable energy technologies. Meanwhile Turkey, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit announced the cancellation of the controversial nuclear power plant proposed for Akkuyu Bay on the Mediterranean coast north of Cyprus.

"The world is abandoning nuclear power," the Prime Minister said. "It is unnecessary for us, for the time being, to invest in nuclear energy.” Mr. Ecevit emphasized that Turkey would focus on energy conservation and invest in natural gas, hydro-electricity and solar and wind generation.

World nuclear power use is expected to peak in 2002 and then begin a period of sustained and permanent decline.

(From Positive News: www.positivenews.org.uk)
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