An eye to the future. Long-term health and environmental impacts of energy systems

The assessed impacts resulting from use of different methods of electricity generation do not at all have the same severity or importance to society. The key problem for comparative risk assessments to find a common measure of impact or risk that will allow for direct comparisons between different types of impacts. The major impacts to be considered in the future are globally dispersed radionuclides; global warming; severe accidents; wastes; land use; resources depletion. Despite the difficulties in quantifying possible impacts and costs of decisions about energy production systems, comparative assessments are valuable tools. They are an important part of the policy making process the should not be overlooked in efforts to serve the best interests of generations living today and tomorrow