Prevented Mortality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Nuclear Power [pdf]
A study estimates nuclear power prevented 1.84 million air pollution deaths and 64 gigatonnes of CO2 globally from 1971–2009, though the findings rely on assumptions about replacement energy sources.
Background
- This is a 2013 study by Pushker Kharecha and James Hansen (NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies) calculating the lives saved and emissions avoided by nuclear power replacing coal.
- Hansen is a prominent climate scientist known for his early warnings on global warming and his advocacy for nuclear energy as a low-carbon source.
- The paper estimates that between 1971 and 2009, nuclear power prevented ~1.8 million deaths (from air pollution) and 64 billion tons of CO₂ emissions that would have occurred if coal had been used instead.
- This study was influential in debates over nuclear energy's role in climate mitigation, especially among environmentalists who oppose nuclear power due to waste and accident risks.
- The findings are frequently cited in discussions about whether nuclear should be part of a clean-energy transition, alongside renewables.