Title:Data Trimming, Nuclear Emissions, and Climate Change. Authors:Shrader-Frechette, Kristin1 kshrader@nd.edu Source:Science & Engineering Ethics; Mar2009, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p19-23, 5p Document Type:Article Author-Supplied Keywords:Climate change Conservation Data trimming Energy Energy efficiency Greenhouse-gas emissions Renewables Solar photovoltaic Wind Abstract:Ethics requires good science. Many scientists, government leaders, and industry representatives support tripling of global-nuclear-energy capacity on the grounds that nuclear fission is “carbon free” and “releases no greenhouse gases.” However, such claims are scientifically questionable (and thus likely to lead to ethically questionable energy choices) for at least 3 reasons. (i) They rely on trimming the data on nuclear greenhouse-gas emissions (GHGE), perhaps in part because flawed Kyoto Protocol conventions require no full nuclear-fuel-cycle assessment of carbon content. (ii) They underestimate nuclear-fuel-cycle releases by erroneously assuming that mostly high-grade uranium ore, with much lower emissions, is used. (iii) They inconsistently compare nuclear-related GHGE only to those from fossil fuels, rather than to those from the best GHG-avoiding energy technologies. Once scientists take account of (i)–(iii), it is possible to show that although the nuclear fuel cycle releases (per kWh) much fewer GHG than coal and oil, nevertheless it releases far more GHG than wind and solar-photovoltaic. Although there may be other, ethical, reasons to support nuclear tripling, reducing or avoiding GHG does not appear to be one of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Science & Engineering Ethics is the property of Springer Science & Business Media B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) Author Affiliations:1Departments of Philosophy and Biological Sciences, Center for Environmental Justice and Children’s Health, University of Notre Dame, 100 Malloy Hall Notre Dame 46556 USA ISSN:13533452 DOI:10.1007/s11948-008-9097-y Accession Number:36420165 Persistent link to this record (Permalink): http://www.redi-bw.de/db/ebsco.php/search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=36420165&site=ehost-live Cut and Paste:Data Trimming, Nuclear Emissions, and Climate Change. Database: Academic Search Premier