Dalai Lama visits Fukushima... expresses support for nuclear power

[FBaggins]

Dalai Lama: A Role for Nuclear Power in Development Process
The Dalai Lama has been an active voice opposing nuclear weapons. But after a whirlwind trip touring the tsunami-devastated northeastern patch of Japan for the first time, the religious figure said he is not absolutely against the promotion of nuclear energy.

Instead, the Dalai Lama on Monday said he is in support of using nuclear energy for peaceful means as a way to bridge the socioeconomic gap in developing countries in the absence of more efficient alternative energy sources.

“There is still many developing countries with a huge gap between rich and poor…millions of people’s lives remain under the poverty level and we have to think about these people,” the 76-year-old spiritual leader said at a news conference on Monday morning in Tokyo. He noted that other energy sources like wind and solar are too inefficient to put into realistic practice to meet the needs of fast-developing countries.

...snip...

On Monday, he urged people on both sides of the contentious nuclear argument to look at the issue “holistically.” “Just to look at it from one side then to make a decision is not right,” he said. While speaking to the benefits of nuclear energy, however, he underlined the holistic lens needed to be pointed at the issue of risk as well. Nuclear energy specialists “should take maximum sorts of preparations.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/11/07/dalai-lama-a-role-for-nuclear-power-in-development-process/

[Scuba]

1. He's no engineer, nor risk manager.

[FBaggins]

3. So?

The people who actually are competent to make such determinations are pretty overwhelmingly in favor of nuclear power as well.

If we remove the scientifically unqualified from the debate... the anti-nuclear movement is reduced to a pretty small team.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. 'Not absolutely against'...'in the absence of more efficient alternative energy sources'.

That's pretty weak-sauce 'support'.

[arcane1]

4. Nuclear energy specialists “should take maximum sorts of preparations.”

How astute!

[FBaggins]

5. I've never met a "nuclear energy specialists" who wouldn't agree.

That's why they spend such incredible sums on safety equipment that they never expect to need.

[Demeter]

6. Since nuclear is their meal ticket, what did you expect?

Take out the self-interest, and what have you got? A whole bunch of people who don't live anywhere NEAR a reactor.

[FBaggins]

7. I think you need to re-read what you replied to

You're saying that since nuclear is their meal ticket, they support spending many billions of dollars on safety equipment that they don't expect to ever use?

If it was pure self-interest, I wouldn't expect that.

A whole bunch of people who don't live anywhere NEAR a reactor.

You're kidding, right?

You don't actually believe that nuclear proponents are secretly just as paranoid about nuclear facilities as the anti-nuke nuts and wouldn't live anywhere near one themselves?

Hilarious.

[defacto7]

8. In a several instances I suppose

they should have used them then.

Their safety measures are the best that humans can make, it may be true... and that is the problem. Those safety systems or the people who implement them are not able to contain 100% of all breakdowns. It has to work 100% of the time without fail. We are not capable of such except on paper. Technology, application and human frailty do not perfection make.

[Sit_Cat]

9. Dalai Lama is a cheater

Last edited Tue Oct 28, 2014, 08:48 PM - Edit history (1)

I have come abroad for more than 10 years. In these years I am constantly accompanied by disappointment which finally turn into despair. I used to be just as passionate when leaving my home and family in Tibet to work for the rejuvenation of the Tibet nation. But my passion met with only suspect, desertion, and poker-faced fellows. People in CTA put only their own interest on top of their priority list, they are no representative of the entire nation. I am unemployed and homeless now and have to struggle on the verge of foreign soil. What I did over the years makes it hard for me to return home. But it should be noted that a nation of 6 million should not be put in the hand of a “sykiong” born and grow on alien soil. His Holiness is getting older and if he pass away, the outlook of the nation gets gloomy. There is even rumor these days that His Holiness "Yeshi Norbu" has a son. Tibet is in chaos and that deeply grieves me.