German nuke shutdown divides ecologists of yore
Date: 19-Jun-00
Country: GERMANY
Author: Clifford Coonan
One of the most potent political slogans of the 1970s became reality in Germany
this week, as the hippies beat the suits to force an end to nuclear power.
But the gradual shutdown means that the sandal-wearing ecologist activists of
yesteryear - now the Greens coalition partner in government - will be in slippers
by the time the last German nuclear power plant is shut down.
The conservative opposition is also threatening to reverse the decision if there
is a change of government.
Germany's centre-left coalition and the power industry agreed a plan on Thursday
which could mean the fastest shutdown of nuclear power ever undertaken by a major
industrial country.
The business daily Handelsblatt said Social Democrat Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
should be happy with the deal, which could mean the last German nuclear plant
closing just after 2020, although it is likely to be longer as firms have won
leeway on production.
"He has made withdrawal from nuclear power, without paying damages, a reality,"
the paper said in an editorial, which praised the balanced approach in the
consensus deal.
"There is consolation for the Greens, as it looks likely at least one nuclear
plant will be shut during the lifetime of this parliament; the energy industry
has won 20-25 years time without gambling away the future," Handelsblatt said.
NOT EVERYONE IS HAPPY
The Greens' left-wing co-leader, Antje Radcke, has said she would sooner quit the
coalition with the Social Democrats than accept the long time-frame.
Greens' Environment Minister Juergen Trittin, who helped forge the deal, said the
deal was "difficult, but bearable" and was confident the party would back the
plan.
The power firms will be able to use their nuclear plants to produce a limited
amount of future electricity - equivalent to an average total working plant life
of 32 years - before all existing plants must be decommissioned.
They will be banned from building new plants and will recognise that no financial
compensation will be forthcoming. Waste reprocessing will be banned from
mid-2005.
The liberal Berlin daily Tagesspiegel urged the Greens not to bicker and split
over the issue.
"The Greens should learn from history. They should concentrate on the next big
project - genetic technology. That is their opportunity to win profile as a
modern party."
The opposition, who under the 16-year government of Helmut Kohl established the
ground for an expansion of the nuclear industry by offering favourable business
conditions, said the deal was not irreversible.
Their argument focuses on how Germany can meet its energy needs once nuclear
power is phased out. Handelsblatt said this issue would certainly need to be
addressed.
"Germany will lose some of its importance as an energy supplier. It means that
Germany will need to import more energy from abroad," Handelsblatt said.
