Leaders back nuke power

Seen as key to helping climate. But green groups want Asia-Pacific leaders to commit to greenhouse-gas reduction

President George W. Bush says nuclear power is a key to tackling climate change, along with new energy technologies, but green groups want Asia-Pacific leaders meeting in Sydney to commit to greenhouse-gas reduction targets.

Australia has made climate change a major issue for the 21 leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit this week.

But developing APEC economies, including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, believe little will be achieved at APEC.

“I was surprised this is being suddenly introduced as a priority issue by the Australian chairmanship,” Philippine deputy foreign secretary Edsel Custoduo said yesterday.

Green groups say the APEC summit will be a failure if the leaders do not commit to binding greenhouse-gas reduction targets.

The Gazette (Montreal)