Analysis: German nuclear U-turn means jump in emissions

By News on the Net —— Bio and Archives April 4, 2011

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By Henning Gloystein and Jackie Cowhig, Reuters Germany's nuclear policy U-turn leaves it little choice other than to rely more heavily on coal power, and that could boost its annual carbon emissions by as much as 10 percent.

Following last month's nuclear reactor accident in Japan and an election defeat against the anti-nuclear Green Party, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a nuclear policy moratorium. The move included an order to shut the country's seven oldest plants until June for extra safety checks.

Japan may review climate goals over nuclear crisis

AFP, Yahoo News – TOKYO — Japan signalled Monday it may review ambitious climate goals amid a nuclear disaster that has crippled reactors and highlighted the radiation risk of the low-carbon energy source. Top government spokesman Yukio Edano said Japan's carbon emission reduction goals, along with many other policies, were open to review after the quake, tsunami and nuclear calamities struck over three weeks ago. Japan has pledged to cut its greenhouse emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels -- provided other major polluters also make sharp reductions -- one of the most ambitious targets of any industrialised country.