Nuclear power absent from Asia-Pacific climate ban

IOL: Nuclear power absent from Asia-Pacific climate ban

12/01/2006 - 08:51:50 Australia and the United States talked up nuclear power during a two-day Asia Pacific climate change conference, but the controversial energy source was conspicuously absent when meeting delegates issued a strategy for slashing greenhouse gas emissions.US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman insisted there was no effort to omit nuclear power from the working plan of the inaugural Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.He said it could be added in the future to task forces which already included the promotion of renewable energy sources and cleaner ways to use coal.“There is not any fear of moving into the nuclear area,” Bodman said, though he raised concerns about nuclear materials getting into the wrong hands.“If evil people get a hold of this material, it could lead to bad things,” he warned.Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer insisted that nuclear power plants were greenhouse friendly, but acknowledged the industry faced other issues “in terms of disposal of waste and security issues”.