Steve Sawyer, Greenpeace, emphasized that climate change presents a clear, immediate threat, with only a small window of time to achieve stabilization – an increase of no more than two degrees Celsius. Sawyer underscored that nuclear energy is not a viable option, due to: the large number of reactors required to handle vast energy loads; their extended construction times; lack of market interest; and excessive financial and environmental costs. He highlighted the surge of renewable energy businesses and emphasized energy efficiency as an extremely effective pathway for reducing GHG emissions and meeting global energy needs.

Mary Olsen, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, stressed that nuclear power is not the answer to global energy requirements, as it is regressive and leads further away from a true solution. She highlighted reasons why nuclear is inappropriate, including that: fossil fuels cannot be phased out when using nuclear energy; it releases massive amounts of thermal pollution; it is not cost-effective; it is vulnerable to extreme weather as it relies on the power grid; and it has to be shut down during high temperatures. Olsen accentuated that reducing energy demand is the cheapest, cleanest, most creative, democratic solution.

Hilda Lini, Melanesian Institute of Philosophy and Technology, discussed nuclear energy and climate change from the perspective of indigenous peoples, highlighting their philosophy as embodying “peaceful coexistence.” She said that the process of creating nuclear energy is a threat to indigenous peoples throughout the process, from mining uranium, to building power plants, to possible leakage. She addressed who benefits from nuclear energy and whether it is a need or want, and posed the question of whether the world needs an energy source that threatens the world’s climate and human lives. She closed by saying that if people are committed to tackling climate change then clean energy and renewable energy are solutions that align with peaceful coexistence.

Felicity Hill, Greenpeace, discussed a paper, “Nuclear Power: Unsustainable, Uneconomic, Dirty and Dangerous,” explaining that it assesses nuclear energy against the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation– calling for “reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound” energy sources. She explained the schism in the International Atomic Energy Agency's mandate of non-proliferation and protection of the “inalienable” right and stressed that both the materials created by nuclear power plants and the plants themselves pose a security risk. Hill emphasized that for peace, security and sustainable development to exist, nuclear programs must be abandoned in favor of renewable energy.

Discussion: Participants addressed: advances in nuclear energy in light of the rapid depletion of fossil fuels; data on work-related injuries from various energy technologies; ISO’s costing of energy system technology; the need for all available sources of energy; and nuclear energy materials for youth.

Thomas Goreau, Global Coral Reef Alliance, described tidal energy, noting its worldwide distribution, particularly in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Goreau stressed that tidal energy is: non-polluting; efficient; uses inexhaustible, renewable, and untapped energy resources; offers multiple benefits at both the small and large scale; and that it is a practical and cost-effective solution to replace fossil fuels. He then described the helical turbine, which captures tidal energy without the use of dams, and highlighted tidal energy as the most cost effective source, of energy, although it has not been widely recognized.

Noting the pressing issue of climate change, Goreau said that even if no more fossil fuels are burned beginning today, global temperatures would still become hot enough to cause coral reef damage and bleaching even greater than it is today. He then described Biorock, a technology which uses an electric current to grow solid limestone rock structures in the sea, catalyzing reef growth and re-establishment. He said that in the future, tidal energy combined with Biorock technology can be used to protect low-lying islands and coasts, and restore coral reefs and fisheries damaged by global warming. He closed by highlighting the need for a programme to create and apply tidal energy word wide for sustainable development and emphasized that tidal energy deserves to be included in the list of sources of sustainable energy supported by various conventions.

Scott Anderson, The Tide-Energy Project, described two projects: the Tide-Energy Project, near the mouth of the Amazon River, and the Uldolmok Strait Pilot Project in South Korea, both of which utilized the helical turbine technology at a small scale and large scale respectively. Anderson emphasized that 90% of the Tide-Energy Project’s station can be built using locally available materials and equipment, except for the helical turbines blades. He highlighted the projects’ goal of using tidal energy to generate electricity that is economical, and environmentally sound. He closed by saying that pending sufficient funding a pilot phase will be initiated, and if this proves successful, the results will be applicable worldwide.