Wednesday 15 Jun 2011 @ 15:15
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
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ITALIANS FIRMLY REJECT NUCLEAR POWER PLANS – WWF-UK
~ 'YES' vote assured after turnout reaches over the required 50 per cent ~
The decision by Italian voters to comprehensively reject Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s plans to revive the nuclear power industry was welcomed recently by WWF-UK.
Partial results show that an overwhelming majority of Italians have voted to throw out a law reviving nuclear energy.
Voter turnout topped 57 per cent - safely above the 50 per cent needed to validate the vote. It is the first time since 1995 that a quorum has been reached.
Following the vote WWF-UK called on the Government to work with Italy and other nations to push sustainable clean energy solutions.
WWF had been hoping Italy would join the growing number of European countries choosing to drop nuclear power in favour of renewables and energy saving.
Scotland has already set a target to generate 100 per cent of its electricity from renewables, while in the last two weeks Germany and Switzerland announced plans to phase out nuclear.
Italy's nuclear power plants were shut down after a similar, 1987, referendum.
Commenting for WWF-UK, Nick Molho, Head of Energy Policy, said:
"The Italian referendum is yet another reminder that energy efficiency and renewable energy are the most sustainable way of cleaning up our power sector and should be the top priority for the UK's energy policy.
"WWF's global energy report recently found that 100% of the world's energy needs could be met by renewables by 2050 and that this could save the world economy up to €4 trillion a year through reduced fuel costs and energy efficiency savings.
"We hope that the Government's forthcoming Energy White Paper takes this on board."
WWF Italy's Head of Climate Change and Energy Programme, Mariagrazia Midulla, said:
"We are absolutely delighted. Italy does not need nuclear power as we can tackle climate change and meet our energy needs from using cleaner sources of energy. Having already voted to reject nuclear power once before in 1987, the Italian government was wrong to try and force nuclear on us again.
"If the Italian government had been allowed to put nuclear power back on the table it would have undermined moves to save energy and increase the use of renewables. We now look forward to ensuring Italy becomes a green energy leader in Europe."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1 Earlier this year a report by WWF and Ecofys showed that all of the world’s energy needs could be provided cleanly, renewably and economically.
It demonstrated that by 2050, power, transport, industrial and domestic energy needs could be met overwhelmingly from renewable sources vastly reducing anxieties over energy security, pollution and not least, catastrophic climate change. The Energy Report: 100% renewable energy by 2050:
For further information, please contact:
George Smeeton, tel: 01483 412 388, mob: 07917 052 948, email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk
