Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists-2012-Schreurs-30-41.pdf

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The politics of phase-out
Miranda A. Schreurs
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 2012 68: 30
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68(6) 30–41
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The politics of phase-out DOI:
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Miranda A. Schreurs
Abstract
The German decision to phase out nuclear energy following the Fukushima crisis builds on earlier political
decisions to support the growth of renewable electricity, to improve energy efficiency, and to turn Germany
toward sustainable energy and away from nuclear power. Germany is now embarking on what is known as the
Energiewende, a plan to turn the entire economy to a low-carbon energy structure that does not make use of
nuclear energy. The last nuclear power plants are scheduled to be shut down in 2022. Although there are still
many skeptics of the phase-out plan, it has support across the political spectrum; Chancellor Angela Merkel of
the Christian Democratic Union sees this as one of her top priorities, as do the opposition Greens and Social
Democratic Party. In part, this support stems from the financial benefits that the shift to renewables has
brought to many small- and medium-sized German businesses. The expansion of r