Bangkok - The United Nations Inter-governmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) which gathers in Bangkok this week is expected
to throw its weight behind nuclear energy as a means of mitigating
global warming, media reports said Sunday.
'In addition to renewable energy sources, nuclear power will be
recommended by scientists as a lesser evil in terms of global
warming,' Wanum Permpibul of the Climate Action Group told The Nation
newspaper.
On Monday through Friday, 80 of the world's leading experts on
climate change will meet in Bangkok to debate the IPCC Fourth
Assessment Report to 150 state representatives on policy
recommendations to mitigate the impact of global warming, blamed
primarily on consumption of carbon-based fuels such as oil, natural
gas and coal.
The final report, after what is expected to be a heated debate
among participants, will be made public on Friday.
An IPCC endorsement for nuclear power would be controversial,
given the strong opposition to the energy source by environmentalists
and community-based organizations.
Thailand, for instance currently relies heavily on natural gas for
its electricity generation, but is moving towards coal power in the
near future and nuclear within 13 years, according to government
planners.
'That (IPCC) recommendation will aid the pro-nuclear lobby,' said
Wanun.
The IPCC conclusions in Bangkok will become an important reference
for future negotiations on global warming such as the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
'Suggestions from Bangkok will be aired at the conference which is
expected to decide the future direction of world climate-change
efforts after the Kyoto Protocol,' said World Wildlife Fund for
Nature energy expert Martin Hill.
The IPCC drew world attention to the reality of global warming in
February at its Paris meeting and then highlighted the impact of the
trend on populations, agriculture and species at a meeting in
Brussels in early April.
At the Bangkok meeting, the IPCC report will focus on options for
mitigating the trend.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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