Anti - nuclear movement The anti - nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes various nuclear technologies . Some direct action groups , environmental groups , and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local , national , and international level . Major anti - nuclear groups include Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , Friends of the Earth , Greenpeace , International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War , and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service . The initial objective of the movement was nuclear disarmament , though some of the focus has shifted to include opposition to the use of nuclear power . There have been many large anti - nuclear demonstrations and protest s . A protest against nuclear power occurred in July 1977 in Bilbao , Spain , with up to 200 , 000 people in attendance . Following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 , an anti - nuclear protest was held in New York City , involving 200 , 000 people . In 1981 , Germany ' s largest anti - nuclear power demonstration took place to protest against the Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant west of Hamburg ; some 100 , 000 people came face to face with 10 , 000 police officers . The largest anti - nuclear protest was held on June 12 , 1982 , when one million people demonstrated in New York City against nuclear weapons . A 1983 nuclear weapons protest in West Berlin had about 600 , 000 participants . In May 1986 , following the Chernobyl disaster , an estimated 150 , 000 to 200 , 000 people marched in Rome to protest against the Italian nuclear program . For many years after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster nuclear power was off the policy agenda in most countries , and the anti - nuclear power movement seemed to have won its case . Some anti - nuclear groups disbanded . In the 2000s ( decade ) , however , following public relations activities by the nuclear industry , advances in nuclear reactor designs , and concerns about climate change , nuclear power issues came back into energy policy discussions in some countries . The 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents subsequently undermined the nuclear power industry ' s proposed renaissance and revived anti - nuclear passions worldwide , putting governments on the defensive . As of 2011 , countries such as Australia , Austria , Denmark , Greece , Ireland , Italy , Latvia , Lichtenstein , Luxembourg , Malta , Portugal , Israel , Malaysia , New Zealand , and Norway remain opposed to nuclear power . Germany and Switzerland are phasing - out nuclear power . History and issues . Roots of the movement . The application of nuclear technology , as a source of energy and as an instrument of war , has been controversial . These issues are discussed in nuclear weapons debate , nuclear power debate , and uranium mining debate . Scientists and diplomats have debated nuclear weapons policy since before the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 . The public became concerned about nuclear weapons testing from about 1954 , following extensive nuclear testing in the Pacific . In 1961 , at the height of the Cold War , about 50 , 000 women brought together by Women Strike for Peace marched in 60 cities in the United States to demonstrate against nuclear weapons . In 1963 , many countries ratified the Partial Test Ban Treaty which prohibited atmospheric nuclear testing . Some local opposition to nuclear power emerged in the early 1960s , and in the late 1960s some members of the scientific community began to express their concerns . In the early 1970s , there were large protests about a proposed nuclear power plant in Wyhl , Germany . The project was cancelled in 1975 and anti - nuclear success at Wyhl inspired opposition to nuclear power in other parts of Europe and North America . Nuclear power became an issue of major public protest in the 1970s . Anti - nuclear concerns . Concerns about nuclear weapons . From an anti - nuclear point of view , there is a threat to modern civilization from global nuclear war by accidental or deliberate nuclear strike . Some climate scientists estimate that a war between two countries that resulted in 100 Hiroshima - size atomic explosions would cause significant loss of life , in the tens of millions from climatic effects alone . Soot thrown up into the atmosphere could blanket the earth , causing food chain disruption in what is termed a nuclear winter . Many anti - nuclear weapons groups cite the 1996 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice , " Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons " , in which it found that ' the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict ' . Ridding the world of nuclear weapons has been a cause for pacifists for decades . But more recently mainstream politicians and retired military leaders have advocated nuclear disarmament . In January 2007 an article in the " Wall Street Journal " , authored by Henry Kissinger , Bill Perry , George Shultz and Sam Nunn . These men were veterans of the cold - war who believed in using nuclear weapons for deterrence . But they now reversed their previous position and asserted that instead of making the world safer , nuclear weapons had become a source of extreme concern . During the era of nuclear weapons testing many local communities were affected , and some are still affected by uranium mining , and radioactive waste disposal . Concerns about nuclear power . There are large variations in peoples ’ understanding of the issues surrounding nuclear power , including the technology itself , its deployment , climate change , and energy security . There is a wide spectrum of views and concerns over nuclear power and it remains a controversial area of public policy . Many studies have shown that the public " perceives nuclear power as a very risky technology " and , around the world , nuclear energy has declined in popularity since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster . Anti - nuclear critics see nuclear power as a dangerous , expensive way to boil water to generate electricity . Opponents of nuclear power have raised a number of related concerns : Of these concerns , nuclear accidents and disposal of long - lived radioactive waste have probably had the greatest public impact worldwide . Anti - nuclear campaigners point to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear emergency as proof that nuclear power can never be 100 % safe . In his book " Global Fission : The Battle Over Nuclear Power " , Jim Falk explores connections between technological concerns and political concerns . Falk suggests that concerns of citizen groups or individuals who oppose nuclear power have often focused initially on the " range of physical hazards which accompany the technology " . Concern often starts with a single issue , such as radioactive waste , but over time concerns usually spread and the focus broadens . Falk suggests that with a richer and more sophisticated understanding of issues comes more concerns and eventually , almost inevitably says Falk , this leads to a " concern over the political relations of the nuclear industry " . John Vidal has said " The point is that right across the world it is not just the nuclear technology which is so offensive to people , but the arrogance , callousness and ruthless steamrollering of any opposition that invariably accompanies nuclear projects . What the pro - nuclear folk here do not seem to understand is that the abuse of political power is as dangerous as the power source itself " . Falk argues that if all the different concerns over the physical hazards of nuclear power were distilled into one succinct statement , it might be this : " that it is a technology whose safety people deeply distrust " . Falk says that that distrust also applies more widely , to the whole nuclear enterprise : People must have come not only to distrust the safety of the technology but also the authority of those who have assured them so confidently that nuclear power is safe . In this sense people distrust the entire nuclear enterprise - - not only its technology , but the public and private organizations , the political parties , and those often prestigious scientists who advocate and assist in the development of nuclear power . In 2010 , Baruch Fischhoff , a social science professor said that many people really do not trust the nuclear industry . He stated that " although it hasn ’ t done anything recently to lose the general public ’ s trust , it hasn ’ t done anything to gain people ’ s trust " . M . V . Ramana says that " distrust of the social institutions that manage nuclear energy is widespread " , and a 2001 survey by the European Commission found that " only 10 . 1 percent of Europeans trusted the nuclear industry " . This public distrust is periodically reinforced by nuclear safety violations , or through ineffectiveness or corruption of the nuclear regulatory authorities . Once lost , says Ramana , trust is extremely difficult to regain . Faced with public antipathy , the nuclear industry has " tried a variety of strategies to persuade the public to accept nuclear power " , including the publication of numerous " fact sheets " that discuss issues of public concern . M . V . Ramana says that none of these strategies have been very successful . Nuclear proponents have tried to regain public support by offering newer , safer , reactor designs . These designs include those that incorporate passive safety and Small Modular Reactors . While these reactor designs " are intended to inspire trust , they may have an unintended effect : creating distrust of older reactors that lack the touted safety features " . Since 2000 the nuclear industry has undertaken an international media and lobbying campaign to promote nuclear power as a solution to the greenhouse effect and climate change . Nuclear power , the industry says , emits no or negligible amounts of carbon dioxide . Anti - nuclear groups respond by saying that only reactor operation is free of carbon dioxide emissions . All other stages of the nuclear fuel chain – mining , milling , transport , fuel fabrication , enrichment , reactor construction , decommissioning and waste management – use fossil fuels and hence emit carbon dioxide . In 2011 , a French court fined Électricité de France ( EDF ) €1 . 5m and jailed two senior employees for spying on Greenpeace , including hacking into Greenpeace ' s computer systems . Greenpeace was awarded €500 , 000 in damages . Other technologies . The nuclear fusion project International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor is constructing the world ' s largest and most advanced experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor in the south of France . A collaboration between the European Union ( EU ) , India , Japan , China , Russia , South Korea and the United States , the project aims to make a transition from experimental studies of plasma physics to electricity - producing fusion power plants . In 2005 , Greenpeace International issued a press statement criticizing government funding of the ITER , believing the money should have been diverted to renewable energy sources and claiming that fusion energy would result in nuclear waste and nuclear weapons proliferation issues . A French association including about 700 anti - nuclear groups , Sortir du nucléaire ( Get Out of Nuclear Energy ) , claimed that ITER was a hazard because scientists did not yet know how to manipulate the high - energy deuterium and tritium hydrogen isotopes used in the fusion process . According to most anti - nuclear groups , nuclear fusion power “ remains a distant dream ” . The World Nuclear Association says that fusion " presents so far insurmountable scientific and engineering challenges " . Anti - nuclear groups advocate reduced reliance on reactor - produced medical radioisotopes , through the use of alternative radioisotope production and alternative clinical technologies . Cyclotrons are being increasingly used to produce medical radioisotopes to the point where nuclear reactors are no longer needed to make the most common medical isotopes . Nuclear - free alternatives . Anti - nuclear groups say that reliance on nuclear energy can be reduced by adopting energy conservation and energy efficiency measures . Energy efficiency can reduce energy consumption while providing the same level of energy " services " . Renewable energy flows involve natural phenomena such as sunlight , wind , tides , plant growth , and geothermal heat , as the International Energy Agency explains : Anti - nuclear groups also favour the use of renewable energy , such as hydro , wind power , solar power , geothermal energy and biofuel . According to the International Energy Agency renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to the energy supply portfolio , as they contribute to world energy security and provide opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases . Fossil fuels are being replaced by clean , climate - stabilizing , non - depletable sources of energy : According to Lester R . Brown : . . . the transition from coal , oil , and gas to wind , solar , and geothermal energy is well under way . In the old economy , energy was produced by burning something — oil , coal , or natural gas — leading to the carbon emissions that have come to define our economy . The new energy economy harnesses the energy in wind , the energy coming from the sun , and heat from within the earth itself . Wind power is growing at the rate of 30 % annually , with a worldwide installed capacity of 282 , 482 megawatts ( MW ) at the end of 2012 , and is widely used in Europe , Asia , and the United States . At the end of 2012 the photovoltaic ( PV ) capacity worldwide was 100 , 000 MW , and PV power stations are popular in Germany and Italy . Solar thermal power stations operate in the USA and Spain , and the largest of these is the 354 MW SEGS power plant in the Mojave Desert . The world ' s largest geothermal power installation is The Geysers in California , with a rated capacity of 750 MW . Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world , involving production of ethanol fuel from sugar cane , and ethanol now provides 18 % of the country ' s automotive fuel . Ethanol fuel is also widely available in the USA . Greenpeace advocates a reduction of fossil fuels by 50 % by 2050 as well as phasing out nuclear power , contending that innovative technologies can increase energy efficiency , and suggests that by 2050 most electricity will come from renewable sources . The International Energy Agency estimates that nearly 50 % of global electricity supplies will need to come from renewable energy sources in order to halve carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 and minimise climate change impacts . Anti - nuclear organizations . The anti - nuclear movement is a social movement which operates at the local , national , and international level . Various types of groups have identified themselves with the movement : Anti - nuclear groups have undertaken public protest s and acts of civil disobedience which have included occupations of nuclear plant sites . Other salient strategies have included lobbying , petitioning government authorities , influencing public policy through referendum campaigns and involvement in elections . Anti - nuclear groups have also tried to influence policy implementation through litigation and by participating in licencing proceedings . Anti - nuclear power organisations have emerged in every country that has had a nuclear power programme . Protest movements against nuclear power first emerged in the USA , at the local level , and spread quickly to Europe and the rest of the world . National nuclear campaigns emerged in the late 1970s . Fuelled by the Three Mile Island accident and the Chernobyl disaster , the anti - nuclear power movement mobilised political and economic forces which for some years " made nuclear energy untenable in many countries " . Some of these anti - nuclear power organisations are reported to have developed considerable expertise on nuclear power and energy issues . In 1992 , the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said that " his agency had been pushed in the right direction on safety issues because of the pleas and protests of nuclear watchdog groups " . Activities . Large protests . In 1971 , the town of Wyhl , in Germany , was a proposed site for a nuclear power station . In the years that followed , public opposition steadily mounted , and there were large protests . Television coverage of police dragging away farmers and their wives helped to turn nuclear power into a major issue . In 1975 , an administrative court withdrew the construction licence for the plant . The Wyhl experience encouraged the formation of citizen action groups near other planned nuclear sites . In 1972 , the nuclear disarmament movement maintained a presence in the Pacific , largely in response to French nuclear testing there . New Zealand activists sailed boats into the test zone , interrupting the testing program . In Australia , thousands of people joined protest marches in Adelaide , Melbourne , Brisbane , and Sydney . Scientists issued statements demanding an end to the nuclear tests . In Fiji , anti - nuclear activists formed an Against Testing on Mururoa organization . In the Basque Country ( Spain and France ) , a strong anti - nuclear movement emerged in 1973 , which ultimately led to the abandonment of most of the planned nuclear power projects . On July 14 , 1977 , in Bilbao , between 150 , 000 and 200 , 000 people protested against the Lemoniz Nuclear Power Plant . This has been called the " biggest ever anti - nuclear demonstration " . In France , there were mass protests in the early 1970s , organized at nearly every planned nuclear site in France . Between 1975 and 1977 , some 175 , 000 people protested against nuclear power in ten demonstrations . In 1977 there was a massive demonstration at the Superphénix breeder reactor in Creys - Malvillein which culminated in violence . In West Germany , between February 1975 and April 1979 , some 280 , 000 people were involved in seven demonstrations at nuclear sites . Several site occupations were also attempted . Following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 , some 120 , 000 people attended a demonstration against nuclear power in Bonn . In the Philippines , there were many protests in the late 1970s and 1980s against the proposed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant , which was built but never operated . In 1981 , Germany ' s largest anti - nuclear power demonstration protested against the construction of the Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant west of Hamburg . Some 100 , 000 people came face to face with 10 , 000 police officers . In the late 1970s and early 1980s , the revival of the nuclear arms race , triggered a new wave of protests about nuclear weapons . Older organizations such as the Federation of Atomic Scientists revived , and newer organizations appeared , including the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign and Physicians for Social Responsibility . In the UK , on 1 April 1983 , about 70 , 000 people linked arms to form a 14 mile long human chain between three nuclear weapons centres in Berkshire . On Palm Sunday 1982 , 100 , 000 Australians participated in anti - nuclear rallies in the nation ' s largest cities . Growing year by year , the rallies drew 350 , 000 participants in 1985 . In May 1986 , following the Chernobyl disaster , clashes between anti - nuclear protesters and West German police were common . More than 400 people were injured in mid - May at a nuclear - waste reprocessing plant being built near Wackersdorf . Also in May 1986 , an estimated 150 , 000 to 200 , 000 people marched in Rome to protest against the Italian nuclear program , and 50 , 000 marched in Milan . Hundreds of people walked from Los Angeles to Washington , D . C . in 1986 in what is referred to as the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament . The march took nine months to traverse , advancing approximately fifteen miles per day . The anti - nuclear organisation " Nevada Semipalatinsk " was formed in 1989 and was one of the first major anti - nuclear groups in the former Soviet Union . It attracted thousands of people to its protests and campaigns which eventually led to the closure of the nuclear test site in north - east Kazakhstan , in 1991 . The World Uranium Hearing was held in Salzburg , Austria in September 1992 . Anti - nuclear speakers from all continents , including indigenous speakers and scientists , testified to the health and environmental problems of uranium mining and processing , nuclear power , nuclear weapons , nuclear tests , and radioactive waste disposal . People who spoke at the 1992 Hearing included : Thomas Banyacya , Katsumi Furitsu , Manuel Pino and Floyd Red Crow Westerman . Protests in the United States . There were many anti - nuclear protests in the United States which captured national public attention during the 1970s and 1980s . These included the well - known Clamshell Alliance protests at Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant and the Abalone Alliance protests at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant , where thousands of protesters were arrested . Other large protests followed the 1979 Three Mile Island accident . A large anti - nuclear demonstration was held in May 1979 in Washington D . C . , when 65 , 000 people including the Governor of California , attended a march and rally against nuclear power . In New York City on September 23 , 1979 , almost 200 , 000 people attended a protest against nuclear power . Anti - nuclear power protests preceded the shutdown of the Shoreham , Yankee Rowe , Millstone I , Rancho Seco , Maine Yankee , and about a dozen other nuclear power plants . Beginning in the 1980s , many anti - nuclear power activists began shifting their interest , by joining a rapidly - growing nuclear freeze movement , and the primary concern about nuclear hazards in the USA changed from the problems of nuclear power plants to the prospects of nuclear war . On June 3 , 1981 , Thomas launched the longest running peace vigil in US history at Lafayette Square in Washington , D . C . . He was later joined on the White House Peace Vigil by anti - nuclear activists Concepcion Picciotto and Ellen Benjamin . On June 12 , 1982 , one million people demonstrated in New York City ' s Central Park against nuclear weapons and for an end to the cold war arms race . It was the largest anti - nuclear protest and the largest political demonstration in American history . International Day of Nuclear Disarmament protests were held on June 20 , 1983 at 50 sites across the United States . In 1986 , hundreds of people walked from Los Angeles to Washington DC in the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament . There were many Nevada Desert Experience protests and peace camps at the Nevada Test Site during the 1980s and 1990s . Since 1988 , Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance has organized non - violent direct action protests at the Y - 12 National Security Complex , in an effort to close down the nuclear weapons plant . Sister Mary Dennis Lentsch , a Catholic nun , has been arrested many times for protesting at the Oak Ridge facility . She has said , " I believe the continuing weapons production at the Y - 12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge , Tennessee , is in direct violation of the treaty obligations of the United States and consequently , is a violation of Article 6 of the US Constitution ” . Recent developments . For many years after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster nuclear power was off the policy agenda in most countries , and the anti - nuclear power movement seemed to have won its case . Some anti - nuclear groups disbanded . In the 2000s ( decade ) , however , following public relations activities by the nuclear industry , advances in nuclear reactor designs , and concerns about climate change , nuclear power issues came back into energy policy discussions in some countries . The 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents subsequently undermined the nuclear power industry ' s proposed come back . 2004 - 2006 . In January 2004 , up to 15 , 000 anti - nuclear protesters marched in Paris against a new generation of nuclear reactors , the European Pressurised Water Reactor ( EPWR ) . On May 1 , 2005 , 40 , 000 anti - nuclear / anti - war protesters marched past the United Nations in New York , 60 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . This was the largest anti - nuclear rally in the U . S . for several decades . In Britain , there were many protests about the government ' s proposal to replace the aging Trident weapons system with a newer model . The largest protest had 100 , 000 participants and , according to polls , 59 percent of the public opposed the move . 2007 - 2009 . On March 17 , 2007 simultaneous protests , organised by " Sortir du nucléaire " , were staged in five French towns to protest construction of EPR plants ; Rennes , Lyon , Toulouse , Lille , and Strasbourg . In June 2007 , 4 , 000 local residents , students and anti - nuclear activists took to the streets in the city of Kudus in Indonesia ' s Central Java , calling on the Government to abandon plans to build a nuclear power plant there . In February 2008 , a group of concerned scientists and engineers called for the closure of the Kashiwazaki - Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Japan . The International Conference on Nuclear Disarmament took place in Oslo in February 2008 , and was organized by The Government of Norway , the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Hoover Institute . The Conference was entitled " Achieving the Vision of a World Free of Nuclear Weapons " and had the purpose of building consensus between nuclear weapon states and non - nuclear weapon states in relation to the Nuclear Non - proliferation Treaty . During a weekend in October 2008 , some 15 , 000 people disrupted the transport of radioactive nuclear waste from France to a dump in Germany . This was one of the largest such protests in many years and , according to " Der Spiegel " , it signals a revival of the anti - nuclear movement in Germany . In 2009 , the coalition of green parties in the European parliament , who are unanimous in their anti - nuclear position , increased their presence in the parliament from 5 . 5 % to 7 . 1 % ( 52 seats ) . In October 2008 in the United Kingdom , more than 30 people were arrested during one of the largest anti - nuclear protests at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston for 10 years . The demonstration marked the start of the UN World Disarmament Week and involved about 400 people . In 2008 and 2009 , there have been protests about , and criticism of , several new nuclear reactor proposals in the United States . There have also been some objections to license renewals for existing nuclear plants . A convoy of 350 farm tractors and 50 , 000 protesters took part in an anti - nuclear rally in Berlin on September 5 , 2009 . The marchers demanded that Germany close all nuclear plants by 2020 and close the Gorleben radioactive dump . Gorleben is the focus of the anti - nuclear movement in Germany , which has tried to derail train transports of waste and to destroy or block the approach roads to the site . Two above - ground storage units house 3 , 500 containers of radioactive sludge and thousands of tonnes of spent fuel rods . 2010 . On April 21 , 2010 , a dozen environmental organization s called on the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission to investigate possible limitations in the AP1000 reactor design . These groups appealed to three federal agencies to suspend the licensing process because they believed containment in the new design is weaker than existing reactors . On April 24 , 2010 , about 120 , 000 people built a human chain ( KETTENreAKTION ! ) between the nuclear plants at Krümmel and Brunsbüttel . In this way they were demonstrating against the plans of the German government to extend the life of nuclear power reactors . In May 2010 , some 25 , 000 people , including members of peace organizations and 1945 atomic bomb survivors , marched for about two kilometers from downtown New York to the United Nations headquarters , calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons . In September 2010 , German government policy shifted back toward nuclear energy , and this generated some new anti - nuclear sentiment in Berlin and beyond . On September 18 , 2010 , tens of thousands of Germans surrounded Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s office in an anti - nuclear demonstration that organisers said was the biggest of its kind since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster . In October 2010 , tens of thousands of people protested in Munich against the nuclear power policy of Angela Merkel ' s coalition government . The action was the largest anti - nuclear event in Bavaria for more than two decades . In November 2010 , there were violent protests against a train carrying reprocessed nuclear waste in Germany . Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Dannenberg to signal their opposition to the cargo . Around 16 , 000 police were mobilised to deal with the protests . In December 2010 , some 10 , 000 people ( mainly fishermen , farmers and their families ) turned out to oppose the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in the Maharashtra state of India , amid a heavy police presence . In December 2010 , five anti - nuclear weapons activists , including octogenarians and Jesuit priests , were convicted of conspiracy and trespass in Tacoma , USA . They cut fences at Naval Base Kitsap - Bangor in 2009 to protest submarine nuclear weapons , and reached an area near where Trident nuclear warheads are stored in bunkers . Members of the group could face up to 10 years in prison . 2011 . In January 2011 , five Japanese young people held a hunger strike for more than a week , outside the Prefectural Government offices in Yamaguchi City , to protest against the planned Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Plant near the environmentally sensitive Seto Inland Sea . Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster , anti - nuclear opposition intensified in Germany . On 12 March 2011 , 60 , 000 Germans formed a 45 - km human chain from Stuttgart to the Neckarwestheim power plant . On 14 March , 110 , 000 people protested in 450 other German towns , with opinion polls indicating 80 % of Germans opposed the government ' s extension of nuclear power . On March 15 , 2011 , Angela Merkel said that seven nuclear power plants which went online before 1980 would be closed and the time would be used to study speedier renewable energy commercialization . In March 2011 , around 2 , 000 anti - nuclear protesters demonstrated in Taiwan for an immediate halt to the construction of the island ' s fourth nuclear power plant . The protesters were also opposed to plans to extend the lifespan of three existing nuclear plants . In March 2011 , more than 200 , 000 people took part in anti - nuclear protests in four large German cities , on the eve of state elections . Organisers called it the largest anti - nuclear demonstration the country has seen . Thousands of Germans demanding an end to the use of nuclear power took part in nationwide demonstrations on 2 April 2011 . About 7 , 000 people took part in anti - nuclear protests in Bremen . About 3 , 000 people protested outside RWE ' s headquarters in Essen . Citing the Fukushima nuclear disaster , environmental activists at a U . N . meeting in April 2011 " urged bolder steps to tap renewable energy so the world doesn ' t have to choose between the dangers of nuclear power and the ravages of climate change " . In mid - April , 17 , 000 people protested at two demonstrations in Tokyo against nuclear power . In India , environmentalists , local farmers and fishermen have been protesting for months over the planned Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project six - reactor complex , 420 km south of Mumbai . If built , it would be one of the world ' s largest nuclear power complexes . Protests have escalated following Japan ' s Fukushima nuclear disaster and during two days of violent rallies in April 2011 , a local man was killed and dozens were injured . In May 2011 , some 20 , 000 people turned out for Switzerland ' s largest anti - nuclear power demonstration in 25 years . Demonstrators marched peacefully near the Beznau Nuclear Power Plant , the oldest in Switzerland , which started operating 40 years ago . Days after the anti - nuclear rally , Cabinet decided to ban the building of new nuclear power reactors . The country ’ s five existing reactors would be allowed to continue operating , but " would not be replaced at the end of their life span " . In May 2011 , 5 , 000 people joined a carnival - like anti - nuclear protest in Taipei City . This was part of a nationwide “ No Nuke Action ” protest , urging the government to stop construction of a Fourth Nuclear Plant and pursue a more sustainable energy policy . On World Environment Day in June 2011 , environmental groups demonstrated against Taiwan ' s nuclear power policy . The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union , together with 13 environmental groups and legislators , gathered in Taipei and protested against the nation ’ s three operating nuclear power plants and the construction of a fourth plant . Three months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster , thousands of anti - nuclear protesters marched in Japan . Company workers , students , and parents with children rallied across Japan , " venting their anger at the government ' s handling of the crisis , carrying flags bearing the words ' No Nukes ! ' and ' No More Fukushima ' . " In August 2011 , about 2 , 500 people including farmers and fishermen marched in Tokyo . They are suffering heavy losses following the Fukushima nuclear disaster , and called for prompt compensation from plant operator TEPCO and the government . In September 2011 , anti - nuclear protesters , marching to the beat of drums , “ took to the streets of Tokyo and other cities to mark six months since the March earthquake and tsunami and vent their anger at the government ' s handling of the nuclear crisis set off by meltdowns at the Fukushima power plant ” . Protesters called for a complete shutdown of Japanese nuclear power plants and demanded a shift in government policy toward alternative sources of energy . Among the protestors were four young men who started a 10 - day hunger strike to bring about change in Japan ' s nuclear policy . Tens of thousands of people marched in central Tokyo in September 2011 , chanting " Sayonara nuclear power " and waving banners , to call on Japan ' s government to abandon atomic energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster . Author Kenzaburo Oe and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto were among the event ' s supporters . Since the March 2011 Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster , " populations around proposed Indian NPP sites have launched protests that are now finding resonance around the country , raising questions about atomic energy as a clean and safe alternative to fossil fuels " . Assurances by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that all safety measures will be implemented , have not been heeded , and there have thus been mass protests against the French - backed 9900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra and the 2000 MW Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu . The state government of West Bengal state has also refused permission to a proposed 6000 MW facility where six Russian reactors were to be built . A Public Interest Litigation ( PIL ) has also been filed against the government ’ s civil nuclear program at the apex Supreme Court . The PIL specifically asks for the " staying of all proposed nuclear power plants till satisfactory safety measures and cost - benefit analyses are completed by independent agencies " . Michael Banach , the current Vatican representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency , told a conference in Vienna in September 2011 that the Japanese nuclear disaster created new concerns about the safety of nuclear plants globally . Auxiliary bishop of Osaka Michael Goro Matsuura said this serious nuclear power incident should be a lesson for Japan and other countries to abandon nuclear projects . He called on the worldwide Christian solidarity to provide wide support for this anti - nuclear campaign . Statements from bishops ’ conferences in Korea and the Philippines called on their governments to abandon atomic power . Nobel laureate Kenzaburō Ōe has said Japan should decide quickly to abandon its nuclear reactors . In the UK , in October 2011 , more than 200 protesters blockaded the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site . Members of the Stop New Nuclear alliance barred access to the site in protest at EDF Energy ' s plans to build two new reactors on the site . 2012 . In January 2012 , 22 South Korean women ' s ' groups appealed for a nuclear free future , saying they believe nuclear weapons and power reactors " threaten our lives , the lives of our families and all living creatures " . The women said they feel an enormous sense of crisis after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011 , which demonstrated the destructive power of radiation in the disruption of human lives , environmental pollution , and food contamination . Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Yokohama , Japan , on January 14 – 15 , 2012 , to show their support for a nuclear power - free world . The demonstration showed that organized opposition to nuclear power has gained momentum following the Fukushima nuclear disaster . The most immediate demand of the demonstrators was for the protection of rights , including basic human rights such as health care , for those affected by the Fukushima accident . In January 2012 , three hundred anti - nuclear protestors marched against plans to build a new nuclear power station at Wylfa in the UK . The march was organised by Pobl Atal Wylfa B , Greenpeace and Cymdeithas yr Iaith , which are supporting a farmer who is in dispute with Horizon . On the anniversary of the 11 March earthquake and tsunami , protesters across Japan called for the abolishment of nuclear power and nuclear reactors . In Koriyama , Fukushima , 16 , 000 people called for the end of nuclear power . In Shizuoka Prefecture , 1 , 100 people appealed for the scrapping of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant . In Tsuruga , Fukui , 1 , 200 people marched in the streets of the city of Tsuruga , the home of the Monju fast - breeder reactor prototype and other nuclear reactors . In Nagasaki and Hirosima , anti - nuclear protesters and atomic - bomb survivors marched together and demanded that Japan should end its nuclear dependency . Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann expects anti - nuclear petition drives to start in at least six European Union countries in 2012 in an effort to have the EU abandon nuclear power . Under the EU ' s Lisbon Treaty , petitions that attract at least one million signatures can seek legislative proposals from the European Commission , which would pave the way for anti - nuclear activists to garner support . In March 2012 , about 2 , 000 people staged an anti - nuclear protest in Taiwan ' s capital following the massive tsunami that hit Japan one year ago . The protesters rallied in Taipei to renew calls for a nuclear - free island . They " want the government to scrap a plan to operate a newly constructed nuclear power plant - the fourth in densely populated Taiwan " . Scores of aboriginal protesters " demanded the removal of 100 , 000 barrels of nuclear waste stored on their Orchid Island " . In March 2012 , hundreds of anti - nuclear demonstrators converged on the Australian headquarters of global mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto . The 500 - strong march through southern Melbourne called for an end to uranium mining in Australia , and included speeches and performances by representatives of the expatriate Japanese community as well as Australia ' s Indigenous communities , who are concerned about the effects of uranium mining near tribal lands . There were also events in Sydney . In March 2012 , South Korean environmental groups held a rally in Seoul to oppose nuclear power . Over 5 , 000 people attended , and the turnout was one of the largest in recent memory for an anti - nuclear rally . The demonstration demanded that President Lee Myung Bak abandon his policy of promoting nuclear power . In March 2012 , police said they had arrested nearly 200 anti - nuclear activists who were protesting the restart of work at the long - stalled Indian Kudankulam nuclear power plant . In June 2012 , tens of thousands of Japanese protesters participated in anti - nuclear power rallies in Tokyo and Osaka , over the government ' s decision to restart the first idled reactors since the Fukushima disaster , at Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture . 2013 . Thousands of protesters marched in Tokyo on March 11 , 2013 calling on the government to reject nuclear power . In March 2013 , 68 , 000 Taiwanese protested across major cities against nuclear power and the island ’ s fourth nuclear plant , which is under construction . Taiwan ’ s three existing nuclear plants are near the ocean , and prone to geological fractures , under the island . In April 2013 , thousands of Scottish campaigners , MSPs , and union leaders , rallied against nuclear weapons . The Scrap Trident Coalition wants to see an end to nuclear weapons , and says saved monies should be used for health , education and welfare initiatives . There was also a blockade of the Faslane Naval Base , where Trident missiles are stored . Casualties . Casualties during anti - nuclear protests include : Impact . Impact on popular culture . Beginning in the 1960s , anti - nuclear ideas received coverage in the popular media with novels such as " Fail - Safe " and feature films such as " " ( 1964 ) , " The China Syndrome " ( 1979 ) , " Silkwood " ( 1983 ) , and " The Rainbow Warrior " ( 1992 ) . " Dr . Strangelove " explored " what might happen within the Pentagon . . . if some maniac Air Force general should suddenly order a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union " . One reviewer called the movie " one of the cleverest and most incisive satiric thrusts at the awkwardness and folly of the military that has ever been on the screen " . " The China Syndrome " has been described as a " gripping 1979 drama about the dangers of nuclear power " which had an extra impact when the real - life accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant occurred several weeks after the film opened . Jane Fonda plays a TV reporter who witnesses a near - meltdown ( the " China syndrome " of the title ) at a local nuclear plant , which was averted by a quick - thinking engineer , played by Jack Lemmon . The plot suggests that corporate greed and cost - cutting " have led to potentially deadly faults in the plant ' s construction " . " Silkwood " was inspired by the true - life story of Karen Silkwood , who died in a suspicious car accident while investigating alleged wrongdoing at the Kerr - McGee plutonium plant where she worked . " Dark Circle " is a 1982 American documentary film that focuses on the connections between the nuclear weapons and the nuclear power industries , with a strong emphasis on the individual human and protracted U . S . environmental costs involved . A clear point made by the film is that while only two bombs were dropped on Japan , many hundreds were exploded in the United States . The film won the Grand Prize for documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and received a national Emmy Award for " Outstanding individual achievement in news and documentary . " For the opening scenes and about half of its length , the film focuses on the Rocky Flats Plant and its plutonium contamination of the area ' s environment . Musicians United for Safe Energy ( MUSE ) was a musical group founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne , Graham Nash , Bonnie Raitt , and John Hall , following the Three Mile Island nuclear accident . The group organized a series of five " No Nukes " concerts held at Madison Square Garden in New York City in September 1979 . On September 23 , 1979 , almost 200 , 000 people attended a large anti - nuclear rally staged by MUSE on the then - empty north end of the Battery Park City landfill in New York . The album " No Nukes " , and a film , also titled " No Nukes " , were both released in 1980 to document the performances . In 2007 , Bonnie Raitt , Graham Nash , and Jackson Browne , as part of the No Nukes group , recorded a music video of the Buffalo Springfield song " For What It ' s Worth " . Impact on policy . The " Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists " is a nontechnical online magazine that has been published continuously since 1945 , when it was founded by former Manhattan Project physicists after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . The " Bulletin " s primary aim is to inform the public about nuclear policy debates while advocating for the international control of nuclear weapons . One of the driving forces behind the creation of the " Bulletin " was the amount of public interest surrounding atomic energy at the dawn of the atomic age . In 1945 the public interest in atomic warfare and weaponry inspired contributors to the " Bulletin " to attempt to inform those interested about the dangers and destruction that atomic war could bring about . In the 1950s , the " Bulletin " was involved in the formation of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs , annual conferences of scientists concerned about nuclear proliferation . Historian Lawrence S . Wittner has argued that anti - nuclear sentiment and activism led directly to government policy shifts about nuclear weapons . Public opinion influenced policymakers by limiting their options and also by forcing them to follow certain policies over others . Wittner credits public pressure and anti - nuclear activism with " Truman ’ s decision to explore the Baruch Plan , Eisenhower ’ s efforts towards a nuclear test ban and the 1958 testing moratorium , and Kennedy ’ s signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty " . In terms of nuclear power , " Forbes " magazine , in the September 1975 issue , reported that " the anti - nuclear coalition has been remarkably successful . . . [ and ] has certainly slowed the expansion of nuclear power . " California has banned the approval of new nuclear reactors since the late 1970s because of concerns over waste disposal , and some other U . S . states have a moratorium on construction of nuclear power plants . Between 1975 and 1980 , a total of 63 nuclear units were canceled in the USA . Anti - nuclear activities were among the reasons , but the primary motivations were the overestimation of future demand for electricity and steadily increasing capital costs , which made the economics of new plants unfavorable . The proliferation of nuclear weapons became a presidential priority issue for the Carter Administration in the late 1970s . To deal with proliferation problems , President Carter promoted stronger international control over nuclear technology , including nuclear reactor technology . Although a strong supporter of nuclear power generally , Carter turned against the breeder reactor because the plutonium it produced could be diverted into nuclear weapons . For many years after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster nuclear power was off the policy agenda in most countries . In recent years , intense public relations activities by the nuclear industry , increasing evidence of climate change and failures to address it , have brought nuclear power issues back to the forefront of policy discussion in the nuclear renaissance countries . But some countries are not prepared to expand nuclear power and are still divesting themselves of their nuclear legacy . Under the " New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone , Disarmament , and Arms Control Act 1987 " , all territorial sea and land of New Zealand is declared a nuclear free zone . Nuclear - powered and nuclear - armed ships are prohibited from entering the country ' s territorial waters . Dumping of foreign radioactive waste and development of nuclear weapons in the country is outlawed . Despite common misconception , this act does not make nuclear power plants illegal , nor does it make radioactive medical treatments produced in overseas reactors illegal . A 2008 survey shows that 19 % of New Zealanders favour nuclear power as the best energy source , while 77 % prefer wind power as the best energy source . Ireland , in 1999 , had no plans to change its non - nuclear stance and pursue nuclear power in the future . In the United States , the Navajo Nation forbids uranium mining and processing in its land . In the United States , a 2007 University of Maryland survey showed that 73 percent of the public surveyed favours the elimination of all nuclear weapons , 64 percent support removing all nuclear weapons from high alert , and 59 percent support reducing U . S . and Russian nuclear stockpiles to 400 weapons each . Given the unpopularity of nuclear weapons , U . S . politicians have been wary of supporting new nuclear programs . Republican - dominated congresses " have defeated the Bush administration ' s plan to build so - called ' bunker - busters ' and ' mini - nukes ' . " The Megatons to Megawatts Program has seen as a success by anti - nuclear weapon advocates as it has helped to reduce the quantity of nuclear weapons worldwide since the cold war ended . However without an increase in nuclear reactors and greater demand for fissile fuel , the cost of dismantling and downblending has dissuaded Russia from continuing their disarmament . Currently , according to Harvard professor Matthew Bunn : The Russians are not remotely interested in extending the program beyond 2013 . We ' ve managed to set it up in a way that costs them more and profits them less than them just making new low - enriched uranium for reactors from scratch . But there are other ways to set it up that would be very profitable for them and would also serve some of their strategic interests in boosting their nuclear exports . As of 2011 , Australia has no nuclear power stations and the current Gillard Labor government is opposed to nuclear power for Australia . Australia also has no nuclear weapons . Thirty - one countries operate nuclear power plants . Nine nations possess nuclear weapons : Today , some 26 , 000 nuclear weapons remain in the arsenals of the nine nuclear powers , with thousands on hair - trigger alert . Although U . S . , Russian , and British nuclear arsenals are shrinking in size , those in the four Asian nuclear nations — China , India , Pakistan , and North Korea — are growing , in large part because of tensions among them . This Asian arms race also has possibilities of bringing Japan into the nuclear club . During Barack Obama ' s successful U . S . presidential election campaign , he advocated the abolition of nuclear weapons . Since his election he has reiterated this goal in several major policy addresses . In 2010 , the Obama administration negotiated a new weapons accord with Russia for a reduction of the maximum number of deployed nuclear weapons on each side from 2 , 200 to between 1 , 500 and 1 , 675 — a reduction of some 30 percent . In addition , President Obama has committed $ 15 billion over the next five years to improving the safety of the nuclear weapons stockpile . Following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents , the Italian government put a one - year moratorium on plans to revive nuclear power . On 11 — 12 June 2011 , Italian voters passed a referendum to cancel plans for new reactors . Over 94 % of the electorate voted in favor of the construction ban , with 55 % of the eligible voters participating , making the vote binding . German Chancellor Angela Merkel ' s coalition announced on May 30 , 2011 , that Germany ’ s 17 nuclear power stations will be shut down by 2022 , in a policy reversal following Japan ' s Fukushima I nuclear accidents and anti - nuclear protests within Germany . Seven of the German power stations were closed temporarily in March , and they will remain off - line and be permanently decommissioned . An eighth was already off line , and will stay so . Public opinion surveys on nuclear issues . In 2005 , the International Atomic Energy Agency presented the results of a series of public opinion surveys in the " Global Public Opinion on Nuclear Issues " report . Majorities of respondents in 14 of the 18 countries surveyed believe that the risk of terrorist acts involving radioactive materials at nuclear facilities is high , because of insufficient protection . While majorities of citizens generally support the continued use of existing nuclear power reactors , most people do not favour the building of new nuclear plants , and 25 % of respondents feel that all nuclear power plants should be closed down . Stressing the climate change benefits of nuclear energy positively influences 10 % of people to be more supportive of expanding the role of nuclear power in the world , but there is still a general reluctance to support the building of more nuclear power plants . There is little support across the world for building new nuclear reactors , a 2011 poll for the BBC indicates . The global research agency GlobeScan , commissioned by BBC News , polled 23 , 231 people in 23 countries from July to September 2011 , several months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster . In countries with existing nuclear programmes , people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005 , with only the UK and US bucking the trend . Most believe that boosting energy efficiency and renewable energy can meet their needs . Criticism . Some environmentalists criticise the anti - nuclear movement for under - stating the environmental costs of fossil fuels and non - nuclear alternatives , and overstating the environmental costs of nuclear energy . Of the numerous nuclear experts who have offered their expertise in addressing controversies , Bernard Cohen , Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Pittsburgh , is likely the most frequently cited . In his extensive writings he examines the safety issues in detail . He is best known for comparing nuclear safety to the relative safety of a wide range of other phenomena . Anti - nuclear activists are accused of representing the risks of nuclear power in an unfair way . " The War Against the Atom " ( Basic Books , 1982 ) Samuel MacCracken of Boston University argued that in 1982 , 50 , 000 deaths per year could be attributed directly to non - nuclear power plants , if fuel production and transportation , as well as pollution , were taken into account . He argued that if non - nuclear plants were judged by the same standards as nuclear ones , each US non - nuclear power plant could be held responsible for about 100 deaths per year . The Nuclear Energy Institute ( NEI ) is the main lobby group for companies doing nuclear work in the USA , while most countries that employ nuclear energy have a national industry group . The World Nuclear Association is the only global trade body . In seeking to counteract the arguments of nuclear opponents , it points to independent studies that quantify the costs and benefits of nuclear energy and compares them to the costs and benefits of alternatives . NEI sponsors studies of its own , but it also references studies performed for the World Health Organisation , for the International Energy Agency , and by university researchers . Critics of the anti - nuclear movement point to independent studies that show that the capital resources required for renewable energy sources are higher than those required for nuclear power . Some people , including former opponents of nuclear energy , criticise the movement on the basis of the claim that nuclear energy is necessary for reducing carbon dioxide emissions . These individuals include James Lovelock , originator of the Gaia hypothesis , Patrick Moore , a co - founder of Greenpeace and former director of Greenpeace International , George Monbiot and Stewart Brand , creator of the Whole Earth Catalog . Lovelock goes further to refute claims about the danger of nuclear energy and its waste products . In a January 2008 interview , Moore said that " It wasn ' t until after I ' d left Greenpeace and the climate change issue started coming to the forefront that I started rethinking energy policy in general and realised that I had been incorrect in my analysis of nuclear as being some kind of evil plot . " Phil Radford , Greenpeace US Executive Director argues that nuclear energy is too risky , takes to long to build to address climate change , and by showing that the U . S . can shift to nearly 100 % renewable energy while phasing out nuclear power by 2050 , thereby addressing global warming . Some anti - nuclear organisations have acknowledged that their positions are subject to review . Nuclear - energy opponents take the position that militant environmentalist organisations have not changed their views : While some environmentalists , in the interests of reducing the CO emissions associated with burning carbon - based fuels , have switched from anti - to pro - nuclear power in recent years , it is clear that many — if not most — of the militant environmentalist organizations remain adamantly opposed to the expansion of nuclear power . Many even propose decommissioning and dismantling the existing nuclear power electrical plants . In April 2007 , Dan Becker , Director of Global Warming for the Sierra Club , declared , " Switching from dirty coal plants to dangerous nuclear power is like giving up smoking cigarettes and taking up crack . " James Lovelock , who originally proposed the Gaia hypothesis , criticizes holders of such a view : " Opposition to nuclear energy is based on irrational fear fed by Hollywood - style fiction , the Green lobbies and the media . " " . . . I am a Green and I entreat my friends in the movement to drop their wrongheaded objection to nuclear energy . " George Monbiot , an English writer known for his environmental and political activism , once expressed deep antipathy to the nuclear industry . He finally rejected his later neutral position regarding nuclear power in March 2011 . Although he " still loathe [ s ] the liars who run the nuclear industry " , Monbiot now advocates its use , having been convinced of its relative safety by what he considers the limited effects of the 2011 Japan tsunami on nuclear reactors in the region . Subsequently , he has harshly condemned the anti - nuclear movement , writing that it " has misled the world about the impacts of radiation on human health . . . made [ claims ] ungrounded in science , unsupportable when challenged and wildly wrong . " He singled out Helen Caldicott for , he wrote , making unsourced and inaccurate claims , dismissing contrary evidence as part of a cover - up , and overstating the death toll from the Chernobyl disaster by a factor of more than 140 .