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They were scared after Fukushima, a nuclear disaster that if anything showed how resilient nukes can be compared to coal, which just gets away with killing thou

They were scared after Fukushima, a nuclear disaster that if anything showed how resilient nukes can be compared to coal, which just gets away with killing thousands of people quietly. Perhaps they’re better at vibes than they are at maths.

MagnumOpus 1y ago
The nuclear exit was started 10 years before that - mostly also because of vibes: the Green Party became junior coalition partner in the government for the first time, and the greens had a longstanding anti-nuclear stance from their roots in the 1970s anti-nuclear weapons movement… They pushed for the nuclear exit. When the conservatives regained power, they vowed to cancel and stop the exit timeline, but then came Fukushima and an irrational media panic - and Merkel did what she does best.
- pydry 1y ago
  Vibes, chernobyl and also the absurd cost of nuclear power. Poland is building nuclear power now though, after decades of burning epic amounts of coal (~85% of their electricity output). This is most likely coz it provides a route to creating a nuclear weapon in a hurry "just in case". It isnt cost effective for them for any other purpose.
  - CalRobert 1y ago
    Well they saw what happened to a nuclear free Ukraine
  - ZeroGravitas 1y ago
    > Poland generated 54% of electricity from coal in 2024, down from 70% just 2 years ago https://ember-energy.org/countries-and-regions/poland/ https://ember-energy.org/countries-and-regions/poland/ They keep putting their nuclear switch on date backwards (2040 now I think?) but renewables have been taking big chunks out of the problem and will continue to do so.
- jajko 1y ago
  > and Merkel did what she does best. You mean f_ck up safety and security of whole Old continent for decades to come, for some ego polishing, personal weaknesses or similar noble reasons? She still admits no failures nor missteps during her reign in many topics where she clearly failed badly, despite journalists asking very direct questions about this. I wonder when will German population realize how much long term damage she has done, if ever.
xg15 1y ago
No, antinuclear sentiment in Germany runs much deeper - but if anything, we were scared after Chernobyl. The German antinuclear movement started as a local aspect of the 68s civil rights and environmental movements. Then, when Chernobyl hit, West Germany enacted restrictions in daily life to cope with the risk of radioactive fallout and contamination. The daily experience of many Germans was probably not too dissimilar from the Covid time. (The restrictions were less severe but the mood was similarly apocalyptic) This experience made a nuclear-free Germany an absolute core part of the progressive movement here. It's part of the founding story of the Greens. Other flashpoints were plans for "eternal storage" facilities for nuclear waste. The conflict around the Gorleben facility was going on between government and local population for several decades and had given rise to entire protest communities. It's a partisan topic like maybe abortion in the US. The only aspect of Merkel's decision that was surprising was that she did it. She seemingly switched political sides and enacted several parts of the progressive agenda (also gay marriage and "wir schaffen das" - the famously liberal stance on refugees) - as head of the conservative party. Her party and voting base were not happy with that...

MagnumOpus 1y ago

The nuclear exit was started 10 years before that - mostly also because of vibes: the Green Party became junior coalition partner in the government for the first time, and the greens had a longstanding anti-nuclear stance from their roots in the 1970s anti-nuclear weapons movement… They pushed for the nuclear exit. When the conservatives regained power, they vowed to cancel and stop the exit timeline, but then came Fukushima and an irrational media panic - and Merkel did what she does best.

pydry 1y ago
Vibes, chernobyl and also the absurd cost of nuclear power. Poland is building nuclear power now though, after decades of burning epic amounts of coal (~85% of their electricity output). This is most likely coz it provides a route to creating a nuclear weapon in a hurry "just in case". It isnt cost effective for them for any other purpose.
- CalRobert 1y ago
  Well they saw what happened to a nuclear free Ukraine
- ZeroGravitas 1y ago
  > Poland generated 54% of electricity from coal in 2024, down from 70% just 2 years ago https://ember-energy.org/countries-and-regions/poland/ https://ember-energy.org/countries-and-regions/poland/ They keep putting their nuclear switch on date backwards (2040 now I think?) but renewables have been taking big chunks out of the problem and will continue to do so.
jajko 1y ago
> and Merkel did what she does best. You mean f_ck up safety and security of whole Old continent for decades to come, for some ego polishing, personal weaknesses or similar noble reasons? She still admits no failures nor missteps during her reign in many topics where she clearly failed badly, despite journalists asking very direct questions about this. I wonder when will German population realize how much long term damage she has done, if ever.

xg15 1y ago

No, antinuclear sentiment in Germany runs much deeper - but if anything, we were scared after Chernobyl. The German antinuclear movement started as a local aspect of the 68s civil rights and environmental movements. Then, when Chernobyl hit, West Germany enacted restrictions in daily life to cope with the risk of radioactive fallout and contamination. The daily experience of many Germans was probably not too dissimilar from the Covid time. (The restrictions were less severe but the mood was similarly apocalyptic) This experience made a nuclear-free Germany an absolute core part of the progressive movement here. It's part of the founding story of the Greens. Other flashpoints were plans for "eternal storage" facilities for nuclear waste. The conflict around the Gorleben facility was going on between government and local population for several decades and had given rise to entire protest communities. It's a partisan topic like maybe abortion in the US. The only aspect of Merkel's decision that was surprising was that she did it. She seemingly switched political sides and enacted several parts of the progressive agenda (also gay marriage and "wir schaffen das" - the famously liberal stance on refugees) - as head of the conservative party. Her party and voting base were not happy with that...