European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said Monday that nuclear power must be part of any serious overhaul of Europe's energy policy, alongside renewables and cleaner fossil fuels. Speaking at an energy conference in Lisbon, he said the Commission would release a sector road map in January outlining steps toward a low-carbon economy, with adoption by member states hoped for at a summit the following year.
Barroso stressed that individual governments, not Brussels, hold the authority to choose nuclear power, but said the EU could support interested members through research and safety initiatives. "A debate on nuclear energy should not be taboo," he said.
He also warned that the EU, the world's largest energy importer, is unlikely to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 8 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Currently sourcing half its energy from abroad, the bloc could see that figure climb to 70 percent by 2030.
Barroso welcomed a newly released British government report by economist Sir Nicolas Stern, which cautioned that inaction on climate change could produce economic damage comparable to the World Wars and the Great Depression, calling it an important contribution to the debate.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.