A 10 page paper that begins with an introduction in which the writer comments on the need and desire for inexpensive energy and also explains the Kyoto Protocol. The essay then provides a brief explanation of the general operation of a nuclear power plant, the number of plants in the world, the two major accidents at nuclear reactor sites. Safety measures that are in place are explained followed by a short discussion on nuclear waste and cooling and disposal process. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: MM12_PGnucpw.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
amount of energy; people do not want to pay exorbitant prices for energy; people expect scientists to find these sources of energy that are needed (Ingham, 2004). These are givens
in our post-industrial economy. Even the Greenpeace/Friends of the Earth and similar groups travel to summits to protest and get there using energy-consuming aircraft, i.e., the protestors use the
convenience of energy-driven travel and other comforts to protest against a myriad of environmental issues (Ingham, 2004). Sustainable energy and the greenhouse gases have been addressed on the international level.
First, in 1972, at the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, international leaders talked about the "global environment and development needs" (Environment Canada, 2002). In Rio de Janeiro in
1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development, called the "Earth Summit" resulted in different conventions, two of which were "Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change" (Environment
Canada, 2002). This eventually led to the Kyoto Protocol, which was signed by 180 countries at the conference in Kyoto in December 1997 (Environment Canada, 2002). The protocol is a
binding commitment for "38 industrialized countries to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 to 2012 to levels that are 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels" (Environment Canada, 2002).
The Kyoto Protocol was really in a state of limbo until October 22, 2004 when Russias Duma finally signed off on it (Hogan, 2004). With this ratification, the international
agreement comes into force in 90 days, it becomes legally binding on February 16, 2005 (Hogan, 2004). Countries who have ratified the protocol have until 2012 to reduce their greenhouse
gases to a level that is 5 percent below the level in 1990 (Hogan, 2004). The United States has not ratified the protocol. Nuclear power plants provide clean extensive inexpensive