Wednesday, February 26 at 2:00 pm
It’s Time to Expand Nuclear Power
For decades, the development of nuclear power has sparked staunch debate among scientists, politicians, and activists alike. For its proponents, the promise of nuclear energy is clear: It's the most effective means of reducing greenhouse gases and combating climate change while still meeting the world's growing demand for energy. And to date, nuclear energy produces approximately 10% of the world's power and rakes in billions in revenue in the United States alone. But its critics argue that expanding nuclear energy is dangerous and ill-advised. They cite the high costs of building powerplants, the potential consequences of a meltdown, and the challenge of managing waste. Rather, they argue, we should look to wind and solar to meet our energy demands. Should nuclear energy fuel our future?
Debaters:
Kirsty Gogan
Co-founder & Executive Director of Energy for Humanity
Kirsty Gogan is the co-founder and executive director of Energy for Humanity (EFH), an NGO focused on decarbonization and energy access. EFH led a delegation of climate scientists to defend nuclear energy at the Paris Climate Conference. A founding director of CleanTech Catalyst, Gogan has advised the UK government on nuclear power and evaluated the national response to Fukushima.
Daniel Poneman
Former Deputy Secretary of Energy
Daniel Poneman is a former government official and nuclear energy executive. Under President Obama, he was the Deputy Secretary of Energy and also served as a COO of the Department of Energy. He is now the president and CEO of Centrus Energy, a global energy company that supplies low enriched uranium for commercial nuclear power plants. He is a senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and author of the recent book “Double Jeopardy: Combating Nuclear Terror and Climate Change.”
Gregory B. Jaczko
Former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Gregory Jaczko is the former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), where he handled the American government’s response to the Fukushima meltdown. After leaving the NRC, he wrote “Confessions of a Rogue Nuclear Regulator” and founded the wind energy company Wind Future LLC.
Arjun Makhijani
President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research
Arjun Makhijani is the president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research and the author of "Carbon-Free and Nuclear Free: A Roadmap for US Energy Policy." He has spent decades studying nuclear disarmament and energy efficiency. Makhijani has a Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley, where he specialized in nuclear fusion.
Moderator:
John Donvan
Host and Moderator
To listen to the audio of “It’s Time to Expand Nuclear Power” on Intelligence Squared online, please click HERE.