#nuklearia

If you’re inclined so to torment yourself, you can see the “Atomausstiegsfest” in Munich, and the antinuclear demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, complete with a grotesque statue of a Sun Warrier vanquishing the nuclear dinosaur, and the usual rusted, dented yellow barrels with radiation trefoils ; and (assuming you have some understanding of spoken German) you can listen to leaders of antinuclear groups reciting their tired lies* one more time about how atomic power is hideously dangerous to man and the natural world, and every country would be far better without it, and will happily follow the German example.

You can also see the counterprotests in Berlin and Munich, and hear some folks speak on the pro-nuclear side. I am not in the video anywhere that I could see, but one of my “Atomic Power to the People!” badges can be seen on a demonstrator in Munich at 5:25, on the right-hand side of the picture.

I will admit to having a personal beef with Carsten Müller, plant manager at Isar 2, who is interviewed here. A year ago, I wrote to him to suggest two things. First, that I would like to acquire material from the visitor center, which has been closed since 2011 (the kind of act of cowardice which bears significant responsibility for the downfall of atomic power in Germany), to use for my exhibits and displays. Second, that he ought to consider holding one last “open day”, of the type held repeatedly in the past ― on at least one occasion, preserved steam locomotives were used to bring excursion trains to the plant ― in order to show the German people just what they were throwing away, what they had been deceived into being ashamed of. I got an e-mail by way of response, from the public affairs manager, telling me that “we do not participate in political debate regarding nuclear energy, the matter is settled”. Having been spat on for carrying a pro-nuclear sign in a climate rally in Munich (doing his job for him), I hardly needed to be told that!

The German pro–nuclear citizens’ organization, Nuklearia, is appealing against the refusal of the Federal Environment Ministry to permit it to register as an environmental organization ― which would give it a privileged voice in discussions on energy policy.

The objections of the “Umweltbundesamt” are far–fetched, especially after Nuklearia amended its charter in response to a previous denial. The truth, often discussed but never before officially stated, appears to be that the UBA is a creature of the Green Party, and regards anything that does not align with the agenda of that party as alien to its mission. Designation as an environmental organization, with the advantages it brings, is meant as patronage for groups which in turn support the Greens.

If you are a supporter of my Patreon campaign, and you have provided your mailing address when it was requested, I will be mailing you a postcard from Berlin tomorrow.

Why Berlin? Because of the protest, organized by Nuklearia in cooperation with a number of pro-nuclear environmental groups, taking place in front of the Brandenburg Gate, against the government’s decision to shut down the last three nuclear power stations in the country.

Our friends at Nuklearia and Voix du Nucléaire are to be commended for their protest action at the European Parliament in favour of the proposal to include fission in the “Sustainable Energy Taxonomy”. Please, join them if you can!

A protest this past Sunday against the stopping of Philippsburg Unit 2 in Germany.