Britain and France are to sign a deal to construct new generation of nuclear power stations and export the technology around the world in an effort to combat climate change during the “Arsenal Summit” on March 27-28, 2008. Britain hopes to learn from the French expertise in building nuclear power stations. Nearly 79 per cent of France's electricity was generated from its highly-developed nuclear power industry. On the other hand, nuclear energy contributed roughly 20 per cent to Britain’s energy needs. Moreover, most of Britain’s nuclear plants were at the end of their design life and were on the verge of being decommissioned. Prime Minster Brown hoped that the deal would create a skilled British labour force who would then work in partnership with France to sell nuclear power stations to other countries over the next 15 years1.

• 1. “Britain and France to take nuclear power to the world,” The Guardian, March 22, 2008, at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/22/nuclearpower.energy1/p...