TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), former Academia Sinica (中研院) president, supported Pegatron Founder and the National Climate Change Response Committee (國家氣候變遷對策委員會) Deputy Convener Tung Tzu-hsien's pro-nuclear stance on Tuesday (July 9), emphasizing the necessity of nuclear energy despite its risks.
Advising the committee, Lee believes Earth will become uninhabitable if global temperatures rise by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. He advocates for nuclear plant life extensions and even considering establishing new ones.
Lee stated that Taiwan cannot burn more coal to achieve its nuclear-free homeland (非核家園) policy, and the country should delay this timeline until better renewable energy solutions are available.
Meanwhile, he warned that failing to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 could result in a 3-degree Celsius warming worldwide, leading to human extinction. He stressed that this is a pivotal moment for humanity's future and urged everyone to support governmental and corporate changes.
Lee's comments highlight the urgent need for a balanced approach to energy policy, weighing the immediate dangers of nuclear energy against the long-term catastrophic impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.