Although countries continue to increase nuclear energy production, my position is that we should not continue to build new nuclear power plants. The current use of nuclear energy should be carefully evaluated with a plan to slowly reduce its production worldwide. The negative implications for the environment and the economy support my position. Nuclear power generation is not as safe and clean as some claim it to be. The Oxford Research Group has published a report providing evidence to support this point. It is clear that nuclear power plants do not produce much carbon dioxide when they are in operation, but it is the uranium mining and waste storage that produces the carbon dioxide pollution. This way of producing energy is not as environmentally friendly as once thought. The report says that over time more carbon dioxide will be produced because more equipment and energy will be needed to mine the uranium ore and store the waste. It is estimated that by 2070 nuclear power with uranium would produce as much carbon dioxide as a gas-fired power plant. If the use of nuclear energy continued to increase, this number would increase and have a significant impact on global warming and the environment (Herbst). There is further evidence of a negative environmental impact with the use of nuclear energy. There is a risk of water contamination with radioactive material from nuclear power plants. Material leaks have been reported to have occurred at more than a dozen nuclear power plants in the United States. This has contaminated various water sources, including groundwater, rivers and streams (examiner.com). In 2011, when an earthquake occurred in Taiwan and generated a tsunami that hit a nuclear power plant,...... middle of paper....../More-bad-news-for-the-Taiwanese-Pacific- NPP- leaking-radioactive-water.htmlAccessed: 11/20/13Moira, Herbst. New debate on the nuclear option. March 26, 2007. http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-03-26/new-debate-over-nuclear-optionbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-adviceAccessed: 11/20/ 13NEA. General impacts of nuclear energy. November 9, 1993. http://www.oecd-org/brief/brief-09.html Accessed: 11/20/137 Reasons why nuclear energy is harmful to the environment and the nation. December 11, 2009. http://www.examiner.com/article/ Accessed: 11/20/13Three Mile Island Accident. March 2001. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-of-Plants/Three-Mile-Island-accident/ Accessed: 20/11/13Nuclear Waste http://library.thinkquest.org/ 3471 /radiation_effects_body.html Logged in: 11/21/13