In “Nuclear power can help fill the energy gap” (Opinion, October 8) Gillian Tett states that the climate problem cannot be solved by what we are doing right now, so she suggests the use of nuclear power to solve the problem. I beg to differ.
I believe that nuclear energy would be a catastrophic option. First, nuclear energy produces radioactive waste which is hard to handle, and leakage of which would contaminate everything.
Second, the operation of nuclear plants has a significant impact on the environment. The mining of uranium, the fuel for nuclear energy plants, is not environmentally friendly, leaving behind radioactive particles and causing soil erosion, as well as polluting nearby water resources.
Lastly, terrorists might target power plants with the intention of creating disasters, in which the uranium for power generation may be turned into nuclear weapons.
Gordon Ng
Year 10 student, King George V School
Hong Kong
Letter: A school pupil questions the case for nuclear power
Pinoy Variant