Sarkozy: Nuclear is dead

France revolutionizes climate summit, stuns delegates and leaders
BY FRANÇOISE BOUTON

PARIS – He’s a man that many love to hate, even in his own country. French president Nicolas Sarkozy is often satirized as controlling and pushy and with a bling lifestyle and trophy wife whom he loves to flaunt. As his many critics analyze Sarkozy’s complex presidential psychology and its impact on his behavior and political actions, the French president never seems to miss an opportunity for self- publicity.

Yet even Sarkozy will surely never match the startling impact of his declaration upon arrival at the Copenhagen summit: “Nuclear is dead. I have killed it. This death releases an initial €10 billion of investment in renewables in France and €5 billion to help the developing world to kick-start mitigation, reduce emissions and kill deforestation by 2015. This is the way forward for France and for the planet.

“We are also withdrawing all state support for the construction of new generation nuclear power and stopping the Olkiluoto 3 reactor project in Finland. The French taxpayer will no longer subsidize the dying nuclear industry. We will use this money for the benefit of our future generations, not to burden them with nuclear risks and death…sorry, debt.”
His stunning proposal will free up massive investment in renewable energy in France and give technical and financial assistance for the developing world. He will achieve this by ending all subsidies to the French nuclear power industry. Determined to dominate proceedings and force forward the climate change agenda, he energized the summit and left his counterparts momentarily speechless.

The consummate risk-taker was taking a consummate risk by laying out his biggest concession at the outset. Other delegates could have been taken aback by Sarkozy’s gesture and resorted to gradually decreasing gestures of support. But the gamble worked. Sarkozy’s challenge rapidly generated a snowball effect of climate change-busting bids from world leaders desperate not to be shown up.

The U.K. abandoned coal. Barack Obama, seriously ruffled for once, tried to grab back the initiative but was ultimately left to follow the French lead and belatedly confirmed the United States’ full commitment to peak emissions by 2015, 40 percent emissions cuts by 2020 and $60 billion for developing countries.

The United States, China and the others scrambled to save face on the largest possible public stage. Sarkozy’s environmental critics could only laud his achievement whilst pointing out that they created his program in the first place.

Sarkozy remains a divisive figure. His relationship with the other world leaders will always be prickly but for now he is the man of the hour. Sarkozy came to Copenhagen daring to lead the drive to meet the global climate challenge and through sheer force of personality and ambition won the position he most coveted on the top step of the podium.