We need nuclear power to fight climate change, but is it doomed?

The rise of renewable energy means nuclear power is on the decline, despite many people thinking it still has an important role in the fight against climate change

By Adam Vaughan

Christopher Jones/Alamy Stock Photo

NUCLEAR power is meant to play a key role in holding global warming below a rise of 1.5°C, but the world’s nuclear plants are quietly starting to show their age – and some people are wondering if we should give up on them altogether.

The UK has eight nuclear plants, a cornerstone of the country’s energy system, but two – Hunterston B on the west coast of Scotland and Dungeness B in south-east England – have been silent since 2018.

Hunterston, which started generating electricity in 1976, has …