September 12, 2008
The second event will be a presentation by Dr. Makhijani about his new book, entitled "Carbon-Free and Nuclear Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy," on Thursday, September 18, also beginning at 6 pm. It will take place at the University of New Mexico School of Law, Room 2401. The Environmental Law Society of UNM School of Law and the New Mexico Environmental Law Center are sponsoring the event. Additional sponsors include CCNS, Honor Our Pueblo Existence, the New Mexico Conference of Churches and Southwest Research and Information Center.
Dr. Makhijani earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley in 1972, specializing in nuclear fusion. A recognized authority on energy issues, Dr. Makhijani is the author and co-author of numerous reports and books on energy and environment related issues. He has testified before Congress, published articles in journals and served as an energy consultant. In 1971, he was the principal author of the first study of the energy efficiency potential of the US economy.
The premise of the Roadmap for a Carbon-Free and Nuclear Free U.S. Energy Policy by 2050 is that a three-fold global energy crisis has developed since the 1970s that is now acute on all three fronts. These include climate disruption caused by carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion; insecurity of oil supply; and the proliferation of nuclear weapons through commercial nuclear energy. The central finding of the Roadmap is that a zero-CO2 U.S. economy is possible in the next 30 to 50 years without the use of nuclear power and without acquiring carbon credits from other countries. Makhijani states that it is possible for the United States to achieve a zero-CO2 economy through the use of existing technologies and those to be created in the foreseeable future.
Dr. Makhijani said, "A technological revolution has been brewing in the last few years, so it won't cost an arm and a leg to eliminate both CO2 emissions and nuclear power. We can solve the problems of oil imports, nuclear proliferation as it is linked to nuclear power, and carbon dioxide emissions simultaneously if we are bold enough."
On requiring more protective drinking water standards, Makhijani has created two campaigns to address radionuclides associated with nuclear weapons manufacturing activities. Based on studies by the Environmental Protection Agency and independent studies, Makhijani is recommending that drinking water standards for long-lived alpha-emitting radionuclides be made one hundred times more protective than the current standards.
For more information about the September 16 dinner and presentation, please call CARD at (505) 266-2663.
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