Andrew Forrest criticizes nuclear energy as a distraction in climate debate

Mining magnate Andrew Forrest condemns the fossil fuel industry's push for nuclear energy, advocating for renewable solutions.

Michael Janda reports for ABC News.


In short:

  • Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, a prominent figure in mining and renewable energy, criticizes the National Party and fossil fuel sector for promoting nuclear energy over renewables.
  • Forrest supports a carbon solutions levy on fossil fuels and emphasizes the inevitability of green energy for economic and environmental sustainability.
  • He argues that nuclear energy is a tactic by fossil fuel industries to delay the transition to more affordable and environmentally friendly energy sources.

Key quote:

"We need to have a mature conversation about nuclear."

Peter Dutton, Liberal leader

Why this matters:

Investment in nuclear technology, with its high upfront costs and long development times, could potentially divert financial and political capital away from renewables like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, which are becoming more affordable and scalable. This diversion of resources might slow down the adoption of these greener technologies.

In 2018, Peter Dykstra wrote: Despite a nuke-friendly Administration, Georgia Power’s troubles portend an industry that may soon find itself facing extinction.

flooded street with three car rooftops peaking above water

Climate change ‘beyond scientific dispute,’ National Academies report says

The report is a sharp rebuttal to a recent Trump administration's report, and Republicans have already targeted the report as “a blatant partisan act.”
several rows of solar panels on a roof

Climate activist Bill McKibben to Houston: It’s solar’s time to shine

Speaking in the heart of the oil industry, climate activist Bill McKibben said solar power has become the cheapest and fastest-growing energy source, offering Texas a path to lead the clean energy transition.

Coral reef and associated marine life
Photo by Shaun Low on Unsplash

Corals won’t survive a warmer planet, a new study finds

Most corals in the Atlantic Ocean will soon stop growing. Many are already dying, leaving shorelines and marine ecosystems vulnerable.
Outer Banks  home built on stilts

Watch the sea claim yet another house in N.C.’s Outer Banks

Erosion, rising seas and churning storms have caused the collapse of a dozen homes on that stretch of seashore over the past five years.
Oysters with knife and one oyster opened
Photo by Mitili Mitili on Unsplash

Ghanaian women try to sustain oyster farming threatened by climate change

In Ghana, women are struggling to sustain oyster farming, a key livelihood in coastal mangroves. Hundreds of women were trained in farming methods for oysters, including mangrove planting and preservation, and selective oyster harvesting, to lessen the impact of climate change.
A power plant in the distance with smoke arising from towers
Photo by Paul Pastourmatzis on Unsplash

Dominion’s proposed peaker plant flouts environmental justice, community says

The utility’s environmental justice analysis lacks community health data, according to attorneys representing affected residents.
People  in downpour and flooded streets

Mexico City floods meet an unlikely culprit: dog poop, hair, and the wrong bins

Mexico City's rainy season has smashed records, but clogged drains tell a different story. Behind flooded intersections lies a quieter culprit: plastic bags of dog waste and fist-sized tangles of pet hair, turning storms into neighborhood disasters.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.