Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: New magnetic fusion technology could be ready in 5 years [View all]GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)In the event of a global socioeconomic collapse, with all the chaos that ensues, I think having a bunch of uranium nukes around (that need to be coddled to stay safe) is a horrifyingly bad idea. I call it the "400 Fukushimas" scenario, and I think the Precautionary Principle would advise against putting civilization at that kind or risk just for less than 5% of the world's primary energy budget.
I have no problem with pursuing research on fusion, but only because I'm fairly sure the collapse I mentioned above will happen before it becomes a commercial reality. If fusion were to have a chance of being realized, I would object like crazy, because IMO the last thing the world can stand is human beings running around with more (potentially vastly more) energy. We're planet-killers as it is, and we need to look at using less energy, not just more of it from a different source.