Question 38
Domain 1: English Language ProficiencyWhat is the projected impact on global warming of an increase in nuclear power?
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Nuclear power produces low operational greenhouse gas emissions, but the question asks about the projected impact on global warming from an increase in nuclear power. Without a major shift in total energy demand and fossil fuel use, the expected effect on global climate is limited, so “very little improvement in global climate would occur.”
Why each option is right or wrong
A. Emissions of carbon dioxide would drop by 20 percent.
A specific 20 percent drop is too large and too precise for nuclear expansion alone.
B. Very little improvement in global climate would occur.
Under the IPCC framework, the climate effect of any new electricity source depends on whether it displaces fossil generation at scale; nuclear’s life-cycle emissions are low (typically about 12 gCO2e/kWh, comparable to wind), but global warming is driven by total cumulative CO2, not the technology mix alone. Because nuclear currently supplies only about 9–10% of global electricity, an increase in its share would not, by itself, produce a large near-term reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases unless it replaced a substantial amount of coal and gas generation, so the projected global climate improvement is limited.
C. Nuclear plants would make a big dent in the trend.
Nuclear is low-carbon, but by itself it usually does not dramatically change global warming trends.
D. Carbon emissions would be reduced by two-thirds.
A two-thirds emissions cut would require economy-wide decarbonization, not just more nuclear plants.