Nuclear Power and Environmentalism in Italy

Abstract

Pressure to restart nuclear power has mounted as Italy has become the world's largest electricity importer. The Italian environmental movement campaigned against nuclear power during the 1980s, culminating in a 1987 moratorium on nuclear power production. The green movement was partly institutionalised by the Italian state during the 1990s, which contributed to the upholding of the moratorium. Internationally, some environmentalists have recently embraced nuclear power as an environmentally-friendly response to climate change. New nuclear power plants are planned in the USA, UK and ‘considered’ elsewhere. In Italy, however, the 1980s movement has a durable legacy which maintains opposition to nuclear power without evidence of it being reconsidered due to climate change. But in the general election of April 2008, environmentalists' political influence was reduced and a government promising to reopen nuclear plants was elected. Also, imported nuclear power from foreign joint ventures is now increasing and may provide an alternative to re-starting domestic nuclear generation.