Last week, a spokesperson at the Department of Foreign Affairs
indicated the proposed Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) was
under consideration. The plan will be discussed at the APEC
Economic Leaders Meeting in Sydney, Australia, beginning
tomorrow.
GNEP promotes the export of uranium and nuclear reactors, along
with the return of the radioactive waste (spent reactor fuel) to
the supplier countries for disposal and reprocessing. Canada,
however, has a long-standing policy against repatriation of
radioactive waste from uranium and CANDU reactors sold abroad.
"The Bush nuclear program would turn Canada into an
international radioactive waste dump, and the Harper government has
not allowed any public debate," said Dave Martin, energy
co-ordinator for Greenpeace Canada.
The Bush plan is being pushed by the Canadian nuclear industry,
which sees the return of radioactive waste to Canada as a way to
promote reactor sales. Canada is the world's largest producer and
exporter of uranium, and the crown corporation Atomic Energy of
Canada Limited (AECL) designs and markets the CANDU reactor.
Australia is the world's second-largest exporter of uranium.
GNEP is touted as an anti-proliferation measure to prevent the
reprocessing of radioactive waste to obtain plutonium for nuclear
bombs. However, GNEP would worsen proliferation through the spread
of nuclear power, and the increase of plutonium reprocessing.
A draft copy of the APEC leader's declaration leaked to
Greenpeace Australia last month promotes nuclear power as a key
solution to climate change. This contrasts with the Kyoto process
which has rejected carbon emission credits for nuclear power.
The APEC declaration also rejects specific targets for reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions, calling instead for a "long-term
aspirational global emissions reduction goal." The declaration is
widely seen as an attempt to sabotage a more aggressive approach
for a post-2012, second five-year phase of the Kyoto Protocol,
which will be negotiated at the next United Nations climate change
conference in Bali, Indonesia, in December.
"The Kyoto Protocol should be strengthened and lengthened.
Stephen Harper, John Howard and George Bush represent an axis of
dirty energy sacrificing the planet to defend the nuclear and coal
industries," said Martin.
The GNEP was introduced by the Bush administration in February
2006. Canada, Australia and the United States will participate in a
formal GNEP meeting in Vienna, Austria on 16 September.
For more information, please contact:
Dave Martin, Greenpeace Energy Co-ordinator, 416-627-5004
Spencer Tripp, Greenpeace Communications Director,
416-605-8408