ASEAN leaders back nuclear energy

Martin Abbugao, Yahoo News 20 Nov 07;

Southeast Asian leaders offered their backing Tuesday for the use of nuclear energy despite concerns over safety in a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In a declaration on the environment issued at the end of annual talks, they also agreed to work on an "aspirational goal" to increase the region's forest cover by at least 10 million hectares (24.7 mllion acres) by 2020.

The environment has been a key issue at the summit which comes ahead of a crucial UN-backed conference on the Indonesian island of Bali next month to discuss a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders agreed to establish a "regional nuclear safety regime" to ensure that plutonium, a key ingredient for atomic weapons, does not fall into the wrong hands.

In their declaration, they agreed "to take concrete measures to promote the use of renewable and alternative energy sources such as solar, hydro, wind, tide, biomass, biofuels and geothermal energy."

They support "civilian nuclear power" for interested countries -- a move which environmental campaigners see as worrying.

But the declaration said ASEAN will ensure "safety and safeguards that are of current international standards and environmental sustainability".

It commits the bloc to implement environmentally sustainable practices, improve cooperation to fight trans-boundary pollution, take action against illegal logging and protect coral reefs.

Weak law enforcement to control the use of fire for clearing agricultural land in ASEAN's biggest member, Indonesia, has been identified as a main cause of the haze that blankets vast swathes of the region each year.

ASEAN leaders will also pledge to improve energy efficiency, reduce the loss of biodiversity in the region and halve the number of people without access to safe drinking water by 2010.

But the decision to promote civilian nuclear power has sparked criticism from environmental activists.

Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have announced plans to build nuclear power plants by 2020 in a bid to cut their dependence on crude oil and natural gas.

Nur Hidayati, a campaigner for the environment watchdog Greenpeace, said building nuclear power plants in the region is unsafe because Southeast Asia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

She questioned whether Southeast Asian governments have the technical expertise to handle their nuclear waste.

Southeast Asian governments also lack the technology, expertise and the raw materials to operate a nuclear power plant, which means they will have to import them at a higher cost, she said.

However, Hidayati supported ASEAN's efforts to promote solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power.

Singapore has embarked on a strategy to establish itself as a centre for solar energy development.

Last month, Norway's Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) said it planned to invest more than 3.0 billion euros (4.42 billion US) to build a manufacturing plant in Singapore for solar wafers, cells and modules

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