Nuclear Energy Discussion

Carlisle Cathedral Fratry, 6th February 2010

West Cumbria (Energy Coast) is proposed to receive major new investment in energy generation, including nuclear energy.
We therefore wanted to give an opportunity for this controversial issue to be openly debated.

About 90 people attended an excellent discussion day on the pros and cons of civil nuclear energy.
The audience included many passionate supporters and many equally passionate opponents of the use of nuclear power to generate electricity.

The first presentations were by scientists from opposing points of view: Mr Paul Spare, who has worked on many power generation projects in the UK, and Mr Shaun Burnie, co-ordinator of Greenpeace International Nuclear Campaigns:

Download ppt presentation: Paul Spare
Download ppt presentation: Shaun Burnie
Download text of talk: Paul Spare
Download text of talk: Shaun Burnie

After coffee Graham Brightman, a retired physicist who worked at Sellafield, and Professor Michael Northcott, a board member of Operation Noah, spoke about the ways in which their faith has influenced their own, divergent, positions on this issue.

Professor Michael Northcott's address

Graham Brightman is the author of a working paper, still under development, ‘Nuclear Electricity: A Safe, Secure, Sustainable Servant?’ which is intended for further discussion at the October 2010 meeting of the Churches Together in Cumbria Environment Group.

There was plenty of time for input from the audience after both sets of presentations and many took the chance to come to the microphone and ask a question or explain their own point of view.

The morning’s discussion was summed up by Dr John Biggs.
Download text of summing up.