Sydney: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday
ruled out introducing nuclear power to Australia, saying the
government was working to cut greenhouse gas emissions through
other means.
United States President Barack Obama yesterday unveiled a
plan to build new nuclear reactors, saying nuclear energy must
play a key role in cutting carbon pollution and reducing the
US's dependence on foreign oil.
Rudd said Australia would not adopt a similar strategy.
"Our policy is that Australia has multiple other energy
sources and we will not be heading in the direction of civil
nuclear power," Rudd told reporters in Canberra.
Australia, a major exporter of coal, was developing
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology to trap the
greenhouse emissions produced from burning coal so they do not
pollute the atmosphere, he said.
Rudd said coal would still be a major player in global
energy production decades from now and as such reducing
greenhouse gas emissions produced by coal-fired power stations
was an important goal.
"The reason why this government is in there with its
sleeves rolled up on CCS is because doing it properly is not
just important for our country, but frankly, China and India,"
he said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 18:57