But, inadequate.

France makes almost all its electricity with nukes, when a generation and a bit ago it made almost none. . . growth in French nuclear power from 1977 to 2003 was an extraordinary 4000%. France now exports nuclear power to other parts of Europe; its generating industry has an excellent safety record, and it has made EDF a very big powerful company capable of buying up the UK’s nuclear industry. . .

So what did that extraordinary national rebuilding actually achieve? According to the Stern review fossil fuel emissions in France during the 25 years of that 4000% increase fell, on average, by less than 1% a year. Emissions from the generating sector dropped 6% a year, which is about 80% over the 25 years, which is great — but the rest of the economy kept growing and burning fossil fuels in cars and heating systems and factories and all that. So the carbon saving overall was 0.6% a year, which I make to be 14% over 25 years. Best anyone’s ever done and it was pathetically small.

If we are to have a good future we will need more energy, lots more energy. That has always been true and always will be true. Our energy generation objectives should always be aiming for the moon, no matter what policy is currently in vogue due to political shenanigans.

Nuclear and other energy generating alternatives to fossil fuel use need to be developed and deployed at a rapid pace even if there is no threat from carbon. We need the energy.