Construction of Nuclear Power Station Case Study

Construction of Nuclear Power Station - Case Study Example Besides the special protected area under the Birds and Habitat Directives, it is testing time to get all the owners to agree on the development. I work for the EDG Energy and I have to comment on three aspects of development and these are: The international legal drivers behind the development of which the largest driver is the Kyoto protocol, how the development will be regulated between central and local government, and how the compulsory purchase mechanism is likely to work for this project. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted on 11th December 1997 is the biggest single international driver behind the development. This treaty contains legally binding quantitative commitments for industrialized countries, in force from 16 February 2005. The European Union is signatory to the Kyoto Protocol. As such, the construction of the nuclear power station on the banks of the Six Estuary must satisfy the provisions of Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement making it mandatory for industrialized nations to reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to the year 1990. The goal is to lower overall emissions from six greenhouse gases namely, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). The national target for the reduction in the European Union is 8%. Nuclear energy does not require coal or any other element that emits greenhouse gas. However, nuclear energy produces nuclear waste and it is the disposal of this nuclear waste that requires to be handled with abundant care as it can be hazardous to the environment. The issue of handling nuclear waste is exacerbated as a foolproof method has not yet been found. The damaging effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster during the 1990s are fresh in people's minds everywhere. Such disasters push back any prospect of nuclear venture right at the proposal stage. In order for favorable decision, it is necessary for the European Union to provide adequately satisfactory record on complying with the Kyoto Protocol directives. The data provided by the European Union on current nuclear facilities usage in Europe does not make satisfactory reading (UNFCCC chief sees Kyoto Protocol countries on their way to reach emissions target). The use of nuclear energy on long time basis does not appear to be the best idea if there is no satisfactory consensus on the safe disposal of the nuclear wastage. Thus, Europe's compliance to Kyoto Protocol is fraught with controversies. There are