Political aspects of nuclear energy

In Switzerland as in other countries public opinion on nuclear energy has drastically changed with time. Surveys show that a majority at present favours abandoning nuclear energy in Switzerland, but does not consider feasible an immediate switchover to other forms of energy. The behaviour is contradictory because increasingly more electric power is used, even after Chernobyl. The resistence has many facets. The debate is largely focused on the question of future technological and economic development. Nuclear energy also became the scapegoat for a development of the last few decades it has not been responsible for (destruction of the environment, waste of natural resources). For the sake of the environment and future economic development, the continued use of nuclear energy has to be ensured. This calls for great efforts in order to convince the people that nuclear power is an essential and logical part of our energy supply. In this process, the fear of a nuclear energy and the unease about industrial society must not be dismissed as irrelevant. (orig.)