The Norwegian Conservative Party (Høyre) and Progress Party (FrP) suggest the world should have access to Norwegian thorium - a substance that can make nuclear power a little less dangerous and fight against climate change.

Norway has one of the greatest unused thorium resources in the world. According to Aftenposten’s report, FrP politician Ketil Solvik Olsen has long fought for greater research into how this element can be used to form uranium-233 and used in nuclear fission reactors. The waste from the use of thorium is less radioactive and safer because the chance of melting of thorium reactors is unlikely.

— Wind, solar and hydro power can never fill the need for increased energy production in the world. To reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, nuclear power has a central place. Until we have developed cost effective, global energy solutions based on renewable energy that can be deployed on a large scale, it will be beneficial to focus on nuclear power. In Germany, nuclear power is unfortunately replaced by coal and gas power. In a climate and local environment perspective, it is unfortunate, says Solvik Olsen.

Conservative Party politician Nikolai Astrup supports Olsen’s idea by suggesting Norway should do more research on thorium properties as fuel in nuclear power plants. But he adds that commercial production of energy based on thorium is not needed in Norway.

— We already have a surplus of renewable energy and has a significant potential to produce more renewable energy in the future. There is thus no reason to create new challenges with storing waste in Norway, says Astrup.