The Negative Effects Of Nuclear Energy

Current energy methods are destroying what we need to survive: the planet we live on and the air we breathe. Centuries of burning fossil fuels, mainly coal, oil, and other natural gases, has led to massive increases of a greenhouse gas called carbon dioxide. The number one reason that carbon dioxide is being released is for the generation of electricity through the burning of fossil fuels. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we need to change the source of our energy. An alternate form of energy production that is possible immediately is nuclear. Fossil fuels are destroying the environment, and solar energy is not good enough; nuclear power is the answer to human’s energy crisis. The burning of coal is currently our main source of energy. Not only is it destroying the environment, the amount of coal left on the planet will not last long. The waste generated by coal is carbon dioxide, which leads to global warming due to the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses such as methane create a layer of chemicals that absorb infrared radiation …show more content…
From the beginning, there has always been awareness of potential destruction. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, there are 438 nuclear reactors that account for 10.9 percent of global electricity generation with 67 more plants under construction (“Nuclear Energy around the World”). In the aftermath of Three Mile Island and later Chernobyl, global safety precautions have gone into effect. The Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) was created between 1992 and 1994. Its aim is to legally force countries that operate nuclear power plants to maintain a high level of safety by setting benchmarks that would need to be met or surpassed. Due to the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety was created in February of 2015 strengthening the review process of the CNS and forcing a new review on all