Public Support for Nuclear Energy Outlined in New Poll

Ipsos MORI, one of the United Kingdom’s largest and best known research companies, has released a new public opinion survey of citizens in 24 countries on their view of nuclear energy.

According to the survey 62 percent of citizens in the 24 countries surveyed worldwide now oppose the use of civilian nuclear facilities to generate electricity, with a startling quarter of those having changed their minds in the wake of the March Fukushima accident.

The most anti-nuclear nations in the poll, at about 80 percent against, Included Italy and Germany, both of which have decided to shutter their nuclear programs, along with Mexico.

Only three of the 24 countries had majorities that still support nuclear power: India (61 percent), Poland (57 percent) and the United States, at 52 percent. Britain and Sweden were evenly split 50-50 on the issue.

Surprisingly, the poll determined that those surveyed in France, which produces the major of its electricity from nuclear power plants had a 67 percent opposition rate, the same percentage as in coal-rich Australia. Perhaps the poll’s most startling determination was that 42 percent of Japan’s people remain supportive of nuclear power despite Fukishima.

The Ipsos MORI poll was conducted in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

By. Joao Peixe, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com