Earth Equity News

Germany's Merkel Sets Stage for Nuclear Battle. By Simon Sturdee, AFP, September 6, 2010. "Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday hailed government proposals to postpone Germany's exit from nuclear power as a 'revolution,' setting up what one opposition MP called a 'fiery autumn' of protests. 'The government yesterday approved a far-reaching and sweeping concept for energy production in the coming decades, making our power generation the most efficient and most environmentally friendly in the world,' Merkel said Monday. 'This means that we need nuclear energy, as well as coal, as a bridge technology. I know that many people are very skeptical and critical of nuclear power, and we take these concerns completely seriously.'… Opposition parties and environmentalists have vowed to fight the planned extension in the lifetime of Germany's 17 nuclear reactors for an average of 12 years beyond the scheduled shutdown of around 2020… Even if the extension becomes law, the opposition Social Democrats (SPD), co-authors with the Greens of 2000's decision to exit nuclear power, said they will reverse Merkel's changes if they return to power."