Public Support for New Nuclear Power Plants Low According to UN Poll

14/12/2005

While majorities of citizens generally support the continued use of existing nuclear reactors most people do not favour building new nuclear power plants according to a new 18-country opinion survey sponsored by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/2005/prn200516.html ) and released today.

At a time when the nuclear power option is being vigorously pursued in the fast developing countries of Asia and being reconsidered in some European nations and the United States the findings raise questions as to whether the nuclear industry and politicians have sufficiently raised public confidence in the safety and efficiency of the nuclear power option IAEA said.

The survey conducted by Globescan Inc. shows that six in ten citizens (62 per cent) overall believe that existing nuclear reactors should continue to be used but nearly the same number (59 per cent) do not favour new plants. Support for nuclear power is highest in South Korea the United States and India where clear pluralities support the building of new nuclear plants.

In Morocco Jordan Saudi Arabia and Cameroon pluralities prefer that all existing plants be shut down. The survey was conducted between May and August this year in 18 countries representing all regions - Argentina Australia Cameroon Canada France Germany the United Kingdom Hungary India Indonesia Japan Jordan Mexico Morocco Russia Saudi Arabia South Korea and the United States. Some 18000 people were polled by telephone and in-person interviews. The poll fielded six distinct questions ranging from awareness of the IAEA and the effectiveness of IAEA inspections to support for peaceful nuclear applications and views about the security of nuclear materials and facilities and the threat of nuclear terrorism.