Cleo shares perspectives on what nuclear justice means at CCL’s annual advocacy conference.
Cleo Schroer presenting at CCL's 2023 Climate Lobbying Reboot.
In early June, we joined Citizens' Climate Lobby’s 2023 Climate Lobbying Reboot in Washington, D.C. The energy in the room was electric, as climate advocates were ready to lobby their representatives for action. We were asked to present our Nuclear Justice Roadmap in the hopes of providing a balanced view of the opportunities and challenges the nuclear industry faces as it adapts to a climate-constrained future.
I was inspired by the wide variety of folks in the audience, ranging from younger climate activists to older seasoned lobbyists. People seemed willing and excited to engage, even those who may have entered the room wary of nuclear energy.
The work we do means more when we take the opportunity to actively listen to people from all over the board about their thoughts and concerns. I was excited to incorporate a polling tool into my presentation to understand how a group of folks passionate about climate change were thinking about the technology. We got almost 100 responses from those in the crowd, which, while primarily positive, ranged in the extent of their support for nuclear.
We also asked the crowd to fill out a word bubble about what comes to mind about nuclear, and the waste issue came up frequently. While we’re working towards community-focused solutions for nuclear waste, it does serve as a reminder that it’s an issue we need to take seriously when talking to climate-concerned groups who may be skeptical of the technology.
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