An open letter concerning the premature decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Germany

Translations: Polish, German, French.

The petition
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An open letter
concerning the premature decommissioning of fully functional nuclear power plants operating within the Federal Republic of Germany

Ms Chancellor,
Mr President,
Members of Parliament,
Representatives of churches and religious communities,
Scientists, artists and creators,
Representatives and activists of German ecological organisations
Citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany,

as the citizens of your neighbouring country, representing many groups and organisations, the world of science and culture, as citizens of the European Union, aware of the unprecedented threat to the biosphere related to the global climate change, we implore you to reconsider the decision on the final decommissioning of fully functional nuclear power plants operating within the Federal Republic of Germany made by German government in 2011.

The findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concerning the consequences of global climate warming by 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level and related global greenhouse gas emission scenarios indicate that – should global warming proceed at the current pace – the value of 1.5°C will probably be reached between 2030 and 2052.

Simultaneously, both the IPCC report and dozens of other reports and studies by scientists from all around the world predict the disastrous effect of global warming on the environment. The IPCC report also points out that future climate threats will depend on the pace, maximum value and duration of the warming. They stress the need to keep the temperature increase at around 1.5°C, which would limit pressure exerted by global warming on land and aquatic ecosystems, on which the lives of billions of people and the survival of thousands of other species depend.

In the IPCC climate mitigation scenarios where the 1.5°C threshold is not exceeded or only slightly exceeded, net global anthropogenic CO2 emissions drop to approximately 45% by 2030, compared to the 2010 level. These scenarios require rapid and far-reaching transformation in almost all areas of human endeavour – changing agriculture, protecting and restoring natural habitats, and mainly transforming the energy sector. In the majority of scenarios where warming is limited to 1.5°C or slightly over this threshold it is assumed that the share of nuclear power in electricity generation will increase.

We are aware of the ongoing discussion concerning the place for nuclear power in a long-term sustainable power generation model and we think it still requires more deliberation based on complete scientific data. However, abandoning low-carbon nuclear power before the complete end of burning of hard coal and lignite will result in technical and technological problems which will be very difficult to overcome in a short time period and will require the continued use of other fossil fuels, mainly natural gas. This in turn fails to provide expected rapid and effective decarbonisation.

As established by hundreds of scientists in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, only rapid and effective phase out of fossil fuels gives us a chance to keep global temperature increase below or only slightly over 1.5°C. As of today, this is necessary to ensure an acceptable future for billions of people.

That is why we appeal to you to reconsider your decision to end the use of nuclear power in Germany or to delay it until you have completely phased out the use of fossil fuels in the power industry and implemented effective, state-of-the-art technologies for the storage of power generated by renewables. This would accelerate the decarbonisation processes, serving as an example and giving hope to other countries on our planet, which will be making decisions on the future of their power systems and on their role in preventing climate change and degradation of the biosphere.

The decisions you make today will be extremely important. Germany is a global policy leader and an economic powerhouse, a country which provides guidance in the struggle to halt the warming of the Earth’s climate.

That is why we implore you, our neighbours, with this letter.

Yours sincerely,

1. Professor Tomasz Polak, PhD – „Boundary Questions” Research Group – Adam Mickiewicz University
2. Professor Szymon Malinowski, PhD – Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw and Geophysics Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences
3. Professor Małgorzata Kowalska – Philosophy and Ethics Department, University of Białystok.
4. Professor Jaromir Jeszke, PhD – „Boundary Questions” Research Group – Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
5. Professor Ludwik Turko, PhD – University of Wrocław
6. Professor Michał Dadlez, PhD – Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences
7. Professor Piotr Dawidowicz, PhD – Hydrobiology Institute, University of Warsaw
8. Professor Ryszard Laskowski, PhD – Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
9. Professor Wiktor Kotowski, PhD – Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Warsaw
10. Professor Ewa Bińczyk, PhD – Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
11. Professor Joanna Pijanowska, PhD – Hydrobiology Institute, University of Warsaw
12. Professor Piotr Migoń, PhD – Institute of Geography and Regional Development, University of Wrocław
13. Professor Piotr Rybka, PhD – Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw
14. Professor Kazimierz Przyszczypkowski, PhD – Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
15. Professor Piotr Stępień, PhD – University of Warsaw
16. Professor Paweł Golik, PhD – Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Warsaw
17. Professor Dariusz Tarnawski, PhD – Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław
18. Associate Professor Krzysztof Świerkosz, PhD – Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław
19. Łukasz Dębowski, PhD – Institute of Computer Science, Polish Academy of Sciences
20. Iwona Jasser, PhD – Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Warsaw
21. Marcin Kadej, PhD eng. – Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław
22. Paweł Koperski, PhD – Hydrobiology Institute, University of Warsaw
23. Michał Kuziak, PhD – Faculty of Polish Studies, University of Warsaw
24. Adam Stebel, PhD – Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Herbal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia
25. Grzegorz Grzywaczewski, PhD – Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin
26. Joanna Zalewska-Gałosz, PhD – Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University
27. Jacek Dobrowolski, PhD – Philosophy and Sociology Institute, University of Warsaw
28. Professor Łukasz Michalczyk, PhD – Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
29. Grzegorz Góralski, PhD – Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
30. Rafał Nakonieczny, PhD – „Boundary Questions” Research Group – Adam Mickiewicz University
31. Ewa Pawelec, PhD – Insitute of Physics, University of Opole
32. Dominik Domański, PhD – Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, MS Lab
33. Paweł Gajda, PhD eng. – Faculty of Energy and Fuels AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków
34. Maria Gołąb, PhD – Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences
35. Łukasz Kozub, PhD – Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Warsaw
36. Tomasz Kozak, PhD – Faculty of Arts, Maria Curie Skłodowska University in Lublin
37. Andrzej Mikulski, PhD – Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
38. Eugeniusz Pronin, PhD – Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
39. Beata Anna Polak, PhD – „Boundary Questions” Research Group – Adam Mickiewicz University
40. Grzegorz Piątek , PhD eng. – Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Kraków, botanist
41. Piotr Tyszko-Chmielowiec, PhD eng. – Wood Institute
42. Marzena Suchocka, PhD eng. – Warsaw University of Life Sciences
43. Mateusz Strzelecki, PhD – Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Wrocław
44. Adam Malkiewicz, PhD – Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław
45. Robert Maślak, PhD – Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation,  University of  Wrocław
46. Paweł Pawlikowski, PhD – Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Warsaw
47. Katarzyna Tymińska, PhD – National Centre for Nuclear Research
48. Karolina Ziembowicz, PhD – Special Education Academy, The Maria Grzegorzewska University
49. Tomasz Sobierajski, PhD – Applied Social Sciences Insitute, University of Warsaw
50. Zofia Prokop, PhD – Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
51. Alek Rachwald, PhD – Department of  Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute
52. Magdalena Budziszewska, PhD – University of Warsaw
53. Mikołaj Golachowski, PhD
54. Marta Jermaczek-Sitak, PhD – educator
55. Konrad Ambroziak, PhD – CBT supervisor
56. Paweł Nejfeld, PhD – botanist
57. Michał Szpak, PhD Eng. – environmental consultant
58. Anna Urbanowicz, PhD – Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań
59. Piotr Czembrowski, PhD – Department of International Trade of the Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Łódź
60. Piotr Dąbrowski, PhD – Faculty of Tourism and Leisure, University of Physical Education in Krakow
61. Associate Professor Kacper Szulecki, PhD – Department of Political Science, University of Oslo
62. Paweł Sierociński, PhD – Research Fellow, University of Exeter
63. Adam Rajewski, MSc Eng. – Institute of Heat Engineering, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology
64. Jacek Olender, MSc – Courtauld Institute of Art
65. Paweł Pech – Department of Ecology, Biogeochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Wrocław
66. Robert Sobolewski – Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences
67. Beata Orłowska – Ornithological Station, University of Wrocław
68. Aleksandra Kolanek – NATRIX Herpetological Association, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Wrocław
69. Krzysztof Drozdowski – Wrocław University of Science and Technology
70. Jarosław Lipszyc – president of Modern Poland Foundation
71. Jan Śpiewak
72. Tomasz Stawiszyński – philosopher, publicist at „Przekrój” Magazine and TOK FM Radio
73. Agata Brzezińska – Aquila foundation
74. Jan Zygmuntowski – Instrat foundation
75. Paweł Kisiel – Lower Silesian Wildlife Conservation Movement
76. Adam Bohdan –Natural Heritage Foundation
77. Adam Błażowski – Smart City engineer
78. Andrzej Gąsiorowski – lawyer, publicist
79. Łukasz Misiuna – MOST Association
80. Aleksandra Stanisławska – blogger, science popularizer at „Crazy Nauka”
81. Piotr Stanisławski – blogger, science popularizer at „Crazy Nauka”
82. Wojciech Gałosz – naturalist, ecologist
83. Paweł Droździak – psychologist, psychotherapist, publicist
84. Ewa Michalik-Kardaś
85. Janusz Olearczuk
86. Cezary Lejkowski
87. Magda Rybka
88. Marek Misior – geologist
89. Katarzyna Bonda – writer
90. Jarosław Kubacki – theologian, pastor, publicist
91. Krzysztof Kowalski – Szczecin Atomic Movement
92. Zbigniew Szczęsny – Atheist Coalition
93. Renata Baron
94. Zbigniew Bohdanowicz
95. Henryk Sikora – anti-communist opposition activist
96. Joanna Gajek
97. Leszek Karlik
98. Paweł Karpiński – a councillor at the Wrocław City Council
99. Magdalena Kisielewska – psychologist, psychotherapist
100. Juliusz Kowalczyk
101. Albert Kłys
102. Jacek Lekki – psychotherapist
103. Joanna Makowska
104. Rafał Maszkowski
105. Łukasz Kowalczyk – attorney-at-law
106. Krystyna Romanowska – journalist
107. Witold Wysmułek – horticulturist at Permaculture Wierzbiny 7
108. Beata Sytkowska
109. Mateusz Sienkan
110. Michał Wiśniewski
111. Aleksandra Gorczyca
112. Mikołaj Pokorski
113. Paweł Pokorski
114. Katarzyna Kacpura – Federation for Women and Family Planning
115. Katarzyna Zajd – the Anglican Church of Poland
116. Beata Geppert – translator