Emissions of carbon dioxide from electrical generation in European nations would be one-third higher than they are today without use of nuclear power by those countries, according to a new report produced by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD.

The report Nuclear Energy and the Kyoto Protocol was timed for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg this month. The report notes that nuclear power current averts 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, an amount equivalent to 10 per cent of total emissions of carbon dioxide from all OECD nations. The Kyoto Protocol requires OECD nations to reduce their emissions by approximately 700 million tonnes by 2012.

The study shows that nuclear power can make a significant additional reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, particularly in the period beyond 2012.

Source : OECD-NEA, 07/29/02.