Prime Minister Tony Blair has pushed for a new generation of British nuclear power plants in order to ensure both reliable energy supplies and combat global warming.
In a speech to business leaders, Blair said nuclear power, greater energy efficiency and renewables are "back on the agenda with a vengeance" after he received the first draft of an energy review by the government, which is due to be published in July.
Blair said: "Essentially, the twin pressures of climate change and energy security are raising energy policy to the top of the agenda in the UK and around the world."
The Prime Minister, speaking at the annual dinner of the Confederation of British Industry, warned that "the facts are stark.
"By 2025, if current policy is unchanged there will be a dramatic gap on our targets to reduce CO2 emissions.'
Britain, Blair added, will become heavily dependent on gas and at the same time move from being 80-90% self-reliant in gas to 80-90% dependent on foreign imports, mostly from the Middle East, Africa and Russia.
Britain currently has about a dozen nuclear power stations, most of them built in the 1960s and 1970s, providing around 25% of the country's electricity. Natural gas provides about 40 pct.
Environmental groups reacted angrily to Blair's comments, released hours ahead of his speech, as they argued that Britain can meet its future energy needs and cut polluting emissions without building new nuclear power plants.
Keith Allott, head of climate change for environmental group WWF-UK, said: "All the work that we have done shows that we can keep the lights on while seeing substantial reductions in our emissions without resorting to new nuclear power."
A report for WWF earlier this month claimed that by cutting energy waste and increasing renewable energy sources, the power sector could reduce emissions by 55% by 2025.
