Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-12-Speech-1-030-000"
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"en.20120312.16.1-030-000"2
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".
Mr President, in the light of everything that happens over the course of a year, even extensive disasters like that in Fukushima can be forgotten about. The focus shifts. Those of us who are decision-makers concentrate on other crises and problems, while the eyes of the media are turned towards something else. It is therefore extremely positive and important that we are now marking the anniversary of the disaster in Fukushima here in the European Parliament and other places.
The events of 11 March 2011 represented a disaster that few could have imagined beforehand. There was an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear meltdown that resulted in the almost immediate deaths of more than 19 000 people and in 325 000 people becoming homeless.
The small town of Ukedo, situated immediately north of Fukushima, was completely destroyed. Many of its inhabitants also died. The town is no longer habitable. Its population has fragmented, with the people now living in surrounding towns. The town still exists, nevertheless. It remains in the survivors and in relations between people from workplaces, schools and neighbours, but as time goes by, even these links and networks fade away. Nothing will remain.
Fukushima was not only a human tragedy; this disaster, of course, also awakened the debate concerning nuclear power as an energy source. The most important lesson that I believe we can learn from Fukushima is this simple, but sometimes also difficult one: the future does not lie in nuclear power. Nuclear technology is certain to remain in various forms for a considerable time yet, but if states do not actively choose to build nuclear power plants as a result of policy choices, it will quite simply not be tenable. The market will not invest in nuclear power. Nuclear power is entirely dependent on subsidies. It will therefore become more expensive, while renewable energy will become cheaper. It is as simple as that.
Each country has the power to decide on its own energy sources. However, the political responsibility now lies with us in the EU, and we in the Member States can demonstrate that it is possible to satisfy the energy needs of the future by means of renewable energy. We are facing a major challenge in this area. The current view of alternative and renewable energy sources is that they are not efficient, sufficiently well developed or sufficiently widespread, and they are not something that is generally used by ordinary industry, society and citizens. If we are to succeed in this task, we need major investments in research, development and infrastructure and in actually cooperating with the market and society in developing this energy source.
We are holding this debate in order to remember and honour the victims of Fukushima. It is also a springboard for the future. What we need to demonstrate is that it is possible to learn from history."@en1
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