Over 90 per cent of Italian voters have rejected government plans for a return to nuclear power generation following a nation-wide referendum.  Green MEP for London, Jean Lambert has welcomed the outcome of this historic vote and has urged Member States to make a complete switch to renewable energies.

Despite abandoning its nuclear programme in 1987, the Italian government had formulated plans to generate a quarter of the nation’s electricity with atomic energy by 2030.

Jean, who is currently involved in new European legislation on nuclear waste management, said: “Italy is yet another country that’s saying goodbye to the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’.  This is an important signal for Europe.  After the catastrophe in Fukushima, Italy is, after Germany and Switzerland, the third country in Europe to turn its back on nuclear energy.  As things now stand, a majority of EU Member States either don’t use nuclear energy or have decided to phase out this high risk technology. The aim must be a complete switch to renewable energies, to greater energy efficiency, and to enhanced measures against climate change.”