The town of Kiel in northern Germany saw anti-nuclear protesters hang a thousand origami birds, symbolizing their long-standing call to end the use of nuclear power across the country. While three of Germany’s nuclear reactors are set to shut down on Saturday, the country is still grappling with the issue of nuclear waste storage.
Martina Gremler, a public relations officer for the NGO BUND – Friends of the Earth Germany, stated that using high-risk technology that cannot be controlled without temporary or final storage is a wrong move. She added that the country’s reliance on nuclear power should be replaced with renewable energy sources, which have seen a significant increase in usage since the German government decided to stop relying on nuclear plants.
In 2011, safety concerns arose in Germany following the nuclear reactor meltdown in Fukushima, Japan, even among previous supporters of nuclear power. The German government announced the shutdown of all nuclear reactors by 2022, but the deadline was delayed due to concerns over potential energy shortages and rising prices for energy following the war in Ukraine.
Supporters of nuclear power believe that reactors can be used to decrease overhead costs for Germany’s industries, but they have also acknowledged the need to increase the use of renewable energy sources. Klaus Wiener, an MP for the Christian Democrats, believes that renewable energy will play a significant role in Germany but warns that it will take time to create enough green solutions to balance the country’s needs, probably a decade.
The shutdown of nuclear plants on Saturday is a significant achievement for campaigners who have vowed to continue their fight against financial investments in nuclear power across Europe. They argue that instead of spending money on nuclear plants and creating more nuclear waste, the money should be put into the development of renewable energies. More protests are scheduled to take place on Saturday near the three nuclear plants.
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