The nuclear sector needs to do more to gain the confidence of the public if it is to become a driving force in the UK's response to climate change.

That was the message from renowned carbon footprinting expert Mike Berners-Lee at the second warm-up event to September's Cumbria Nuclear Conference, hosted by Carlisle MP John Stevenson.

Speaking to representatives from the business and education communities gathered at Rheged, near Penrith, he challenged the sector to prove nuclear power was safe and that it could help to the UK to develop a greener energy mix.

Mr Berners-Lee said the UK would never be able to utilise the massive potential of solar energy because of its climate and with other forms of energy making negligible contributions, nuclear had the potential to play an important role in an energy mix that did not include fossil fuels.

"There is a lot stronger case for nuclear in the UK than in other countries," he said.

"It is not a perfect long-term solution, but given the current situation, and the need for us to keep fossil fuels in the ground, then nuclear has a strong case.

"My challenge would be for the sector to gain trust – to be honest about the cons as well as the pros – and have a really robust debate about why nuclear power is needed. If you get it right, then you will even have the Green Party supporting nuclear."

Mr Berners-Lee, who runs Lancaster University-based Small World Consulting, helping businesses including Booths, BT and Microsoft to reduce their carbon footprints, said nuclear could gain capital by pitching itself as an alternative to fossil fuels.

"We have to leave fossil fuels in the ground if we are to have any chance of staying within a two degree rise in temperature – a rise that we know will have a dramatic effect on the world," he said.

"Nuclear can certainly bang that drum."

He added that the relatively high cost of nuclear power could be more than covered if subsidies for fossil fuels were scrapped and the price of carbon cut. He stressed that action for the “sake of future generations” to halt the exponential rise in carbon since the 1800s.

"I'm not here to be depressing and we have made some progress," stressed Mr Berners-Lee.

"We just have to face up to it and not leave our kids wondering why we didn't do anything about it. We’re so powerful now as a species, we don't have to try hard to smash the world up."

Simon Sjenizter, director of energy and climate change at conference sponsors WYG – which has been in Cumbria for 30 years and employs 70 at its office in Cockermouth – echoed the call for action.

"We have been given this one planet to live on, so the way the way we deal with it, the way we grow communities and businesses, is really important," he said.

The Cumbria Nuclear Conference will take place on Friday, September 21. Its host, John Stevenson, said it was an opportunity for Cumbria to "think as a county" when faced with the huge investment opportunities presented by projects such as the proposed Moorside nuclear power station near Sellafield.

He added: "It is important Cumbria sings from the same hymn sheet. Manchester are doing this to great effect and securing investment as a result."