I support the development of nuclear energy technology—undoubtedly the future of humanity—but that does not mean we should tolerate negligence regarding nuclear waste and leakage issues; nuclear energy companies must treat these two major drawbacks of current technology with the utmost seriousness.

However, those are issues associated with nuclear fission. Humanity also possesses a safe, clean alternative: nuclear fusion technology (which operates on the same principle that generates the sun's heat). This is absolutely the most critical factor for a major leap forward in human civilization.

The tritium and deuterium required for nuclear fusion are abundant in seawater; the energy generated via fusion from the tritium extracted from a single bottle of mineral water is equivalent to that of 500 liters of gasoline.
Tritium is ubiquitous in the oceans—an inexhaustible resource sufficient to power humanity for billions of years.

The key to nuclear energy lies in miniaturization and portability, rather than remaining stuck at the stage of building massive nuclear reactors.

A Chinese company has reportedly developed a "Carbon-14 nuclear battery" dubbed "Zhulong-1" (though I suspect there is a fair amount of hype involved). Consider that the half-life of Carbon-14 is 5,730 years; theoretically, this battery could last for 5,000 years... Not five years, or fifty years... but five thousand years. 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

Miniaturizing, simplifying, and making nuclear energy storage devices portable is what holds truly extraordinary significance for humanity. Massive nuclear reactors primarily benefit large corporations and governments, not the average individual.

Once nuclear energy storage technology (especially fusion technology) achieves miniaturization, simplicity, and portability:
You could buy a single battery for your mobile phone—essentially a "mini-sun," given that the sun also relies on fusion—that lasts for centuries. A car could be fitted with a nuclear battery at the factory and driven for hundreds of years without ever needing to refuel. An aircraft equipped with a nuclear power unit could fly for years or even decades without refueling...
Perhaps a nuclear power unit the size of a computer tower could meet your household's energy needs for centuries. You would no longer need to rely on municipal power grids, heating systems, or water supply networks (as you could employ a self-contained water purification system, given the virtually limitless energy supply). With a portable nuclear power unit in hand, you could live in almost any corner of the globe for centuries—or even longer—without ever worrying about energy needs.
This holds unimaginable significance for humanity’s ability to break free from the control of governments and major corporations. Perhaps only then could human beings truly be considered "free."

At present, our mastery and utilization of nuclear energy remain at a very primitive stage—perhaps representing only one ten-thousandth of our potential capability.

The level of advancement our civilization achieves depends entirely on our ability to harness and control nuclear energy.
The oil and coal we currently use are low-grade energy sources; they offer absolutely no possibility of propelling a great leap forward for human civilization.

While I support the development of nuclear energy and am convinced it is the core engine of humanity's future progress, this does not mean that developing nuclear technology justifies sacrificing the lives and health of people today. Nuclear energy must be developed, but human well-being and health must also be safeguarded. Should the two come into conflict, I believe the development of nuclear energy should be paused.