This idea from Roger Pielke Jr. - replacing the world’s biggest baddest coal plants with nuclear by 2035 - has merit, in theory. (Although Germany won’t be building new nukes so scratch that one from the list.) Here are Roger’s key cost/benefit points (compared to the Inflation Reduction Act):

• The best case IRA scenario provides emissions reductions of ~2.8 GtCO2 for ~$1 trillion.

• The best case coal-to-nuclear scenario provides ~9 GtCO2 for ~$450 billion.

Coal-to-nuclear is more cost effective by about about 7 to 1.

• The worst case IRA scenario provides no emissions reductions for ~$1 trillion.

• The worst case coal-to-nuclear scenario provides emissions reductions of ~9 GtCO2 for ~$3 trillion.

Here, coal-to-nuclear is infinitely more cost effective.