By: Emma Redfoot

It is the end of the year and a good time to reflect on what new revelations have come in 2019. One of the biggest for me as a nuclear advocate came from a climate change event I attended called Fastest Path to Zero.

In April 2019, I attended an event hosted by Third Way bringing together different voices in climate change to discuss the different challenges and solutions to getting to a zero carbon emission economy. As I listened to the President of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Kenneth Kimmell, discussing how we can engage the communities that have been left out of the climate conversation, I realized this is the first time I have been at a climate change event where there was a mix of people all working towards the same goal, though they did not agree about nuclear power. The difference of opinion on this one issue was strange when the underlying shared concern for our climate and for empowering people was so strong.

Sitting in the audience agreeing with speakers of all types of backgrounds on different parts of how people might deal with climate change, it was clear how absurd the infighting within the climate community and the related energy conversation has become. Why does there seem to be a team sport aspect between climate thinkers when everyone ultimately benefits or suffers? As a human race, we either figure out a way to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts in a way that people and the environment can thrive, or we do not. Certain groups will be harmed more by climate change, but everyone will be impacted.

Why does there seem to be a team sport aspect between climate thinkers when everyone ultimately benefits or suffers? As a human race, we either figure out a way to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts in a way that people and the environment can thrive, or we do not.

I know that most of the people who are reading this are likely in the pro-nuclear camp. This is the main message I want to share from the Fastest Path to Zero event: If we want to make progress on climate, including building nuclear, we need to start showing up to events that reflect our stated concern about climate change. There are pro-nuclear people who make this effort, but too often it seems like nuclear is estranged from the climate discussion. I understand that there is a history of environmentalists rejecting nuclear. In some ways, being against nuclear power was a definitive aspect of the environmental movement. The good news is it is not anymore. Young people who care about the environment are not burdened with the same cultural associations with nuclear as the previous generation. There are leaders in the environmental movement who are pro-nuclear. Even environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund are no longer explicitly anti-nuclear. Everyone needs to get over old hostilities. We need to work together. There is no one solution to dealing with climate change.