As it has grown, China has become the world's most blatant polluter, yearly producing twice the CO2 emissions of the United States and four times the emissions of the EU. While it's easy to point the finger at Beijing when grappling with the issue of global carbon emissions, China is also dominating the West in nuclear reactor construction. Nuclear power stands as the greatest tool currently available which would reliably power our future while reducing our carbon footprint and our dependence upon the communist nation.
As China brings two new coal plants online each week, conservatives are right to spotlight its growing carbon footprint. Yet, without a bold vision and aggressive action to promote sustainable solutions here at home, such as nuclear technology, we will forfeit our international standing in the quickly evolving global emissions conversation.
In our pursuit of a sustainable and reliable energy future, we must understand two important realities. First, no single form of energy can claim dominance—an all-of-the-above approach is necessary. Second, our methods must be economically viable. Nations must be able to afford them. As long as fossil fuels remain cheaper, more dependable, and more practical, they will continue to be essential. Lastly, as the world's population grows and the fourth industrial revolution commences, demand for energy will surely continue to grow.
Nuclear technology stands as the only method currently available that can sensibly accelerate our efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and at the same time meet our energy needs. Nuclear power plants, especially small modular reactors (SMR), produce a fraction of the emissions of other methods, boast far greater capacity, and require comparatively limited space. Further, with Generation IV technology poised to increase the safety, efficiency, and scalability of these reactors, the value of and demand for nuclear energy should increase dramatically.
Critics of nuclear energy point to limited uranium reserves, past meltdowns, and long build times as arguments against its expansion. While the first two points may have at once been judicious, incredible advancements in safety, efficiency, and fuel sourcing now render them largely vacant. On the third point, build times would be shorter if not for politics and bureaucracy. Federal capital investment into solar and wind power dwarfs investment into nuclear, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission continues to hamstring innovation.
Addressing voters' environmental concerns with respect to energy production has become a central issue, which is why it came as no surprise that the first 2024 Republican presidential debate included a question from a young voter on the issue of climate change.
We cannot be good stewards of the environment or progress toward a sustainable future through dismissiveness or hyper-partisanship. Decrying climate change as a hoax or declaring it a greater threat to humanity than nuclear war preys more upon emotions than on objective reasoning.
As the representative of most of North Carolina's coastal communities, the issues of conservation, environmental protection, and climate resiliency are top priorities of mine. To that end I regularly collaborate with Dutch officials, globally recognized for their expertise in flood mitigation, and frequently participate in climate adaptation conferences. Three years ago I began hosting an annual WATERS Summit in Eastern North Carolina to bring together leading scientific and academic experts, community stakeholders and public officials to collaborate on human adaptation strategies to waterway challenges.
Communities impacted by variable sea levels and intense weather systems need pragmatic solutions. We require contemporary and forward-thinking strategies that are economically viable and effective, not outlandish proposals fit for opinion shows.
Countless solutions to our energy and climate challenges exist, but nuclear technology is the best investment into sustainable, clean energy currently feasible and practical. China continues to demonstrate this stance, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and will soon be able to claim ownership of the world's first onshore commercial SMR in operation, Linglong One.
Conservatives brought scrutiny of the global threat of the Chinese Communist Party into the mainstream. Now, it is time for us to wake the West up to the energy race and adopt a bold vision of nuclear power expansion that will reduce our carbon footprint and provide cheap, reliable energy for all Americans.
Greg Murphy, M.D., represents North Carolina's Third District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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