Long Now Presents "Nuclear Power, Climate Change, and the Next 10,000

Fri, Jan 13

Environmentalists are at their best when they disagree publicly.
Then discussion can dive through emotional stances to the level of
intriguing details and complex tradeoffs, where intelligent opinion
forms and smart policy takes shape.

Both of the conversants this Friday night have energy expertise and
an environmental agenda. Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the Energy
Program at the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, advisor to the US
Secretary of Energy ('93-'03), opposes expansion of nuclear power.
Peter Schwartz, a former board member of Rocky Mountain Institute,
former head of scenario planning at Royal Dutch/Shell, now chair of
Global Business Network, was persuaded by recent research on abrupt
climate change to support the expansion of nuclear power.

It's not exactly a debate Friday night, but possibly something
better. The format requires each speaker to draw out the other's
views and then restate them in a way that satisfies the opponent,
"That's right. You got it." Which speaker goes first will be
decided by the audience and how they (you!) think the discussion
should be framed. If the question is, "Is nuclear power too risky to
be an option for dealing with climate change?" then Cavanagh should
perhaps go first, stating the affirmative position. If, on the other
hand, the question is, "Should nuclear power be an option for dealing
with climate change?" then it might be Schwartz's affirmative view
that leads off. You decide, live, Friday night.

This is one of a monthly series of Seminars About Long-term Thinking
organized by The Long Now Foundation, usually on second Fridays,
usually at Fort Mason (though not this one). Future speakers in the
series include Stephen Lansing (on a thousand years of finesse in
Bali's irrigation system). If you would like to be notified by email
of forthcoming talks, please contact Simone Davalos---
, 415-561-6582.

You are welcome to forward this note to anyone you think might be
interested. The Herbst is a nice big theater.
--Stewart Brand

Venue:

The Herbst Theater
401 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco

Additional Info:

415-561-6581
Http://www.longnow.org