At a time when an increasing number of citizens are pressing for immediate climate action, every form of energy that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions needs to be considered.
Only the right mix of energy sources will enable the world to reach the targets set out in the Paris Agreement to limit climate change. This is what high-level speakers said during the opening of the International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power.
“I believe [participation in this conference] reflects international recognition of the gravity and scale of the climate emergency — as reflected in last month’s UN Climate Action Summit — and a growing appreciation of the contribution that nuclear science and technology can make in addressing it It is difficult to see how the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved without a significant increase in the use of nuclear power in the coming decades.,” IAEA Acting Director-General Cornel Feruta said in his opening remarks.
Panellists agreed on the importance of considering every option in the climate change dialogue, pointing out that if any technology is taken off the table, finding the solution to the problem becomes more difficult.
This is true, said William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General of the OECD/ NEA, particularly if we want to maintain economic growth without damaging the environment.
“The single most important issue to face in climate change is: what is the right mix of technologies and methods that will enable us to be successful?” he said.
Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), said nuclear energy can help realize the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Representing the global industry, Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Agneta Rising pointed out how nuclear power is already moving higher on the climate change agenda.
“The global nuclear industry is committed to delivering what it needs to do to save our planet from climate change,” she said. “Our technology is ready. Our supply chain is ready. And our people are ready. But, to achieve the targets to our success, we also need support from governments. Otherwise, the nuclear option might fade away or not deliver its full potential.”
Experts this week will discuss key issues such as advancing energy policies that achieve the climate change goals; the long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants and their contribution to avoiding GHG emissions; the factors necessary to support high rates of deployment, including for advanced nuclear power technologies; public perceptions of the role of nuclear power in climate change mitigation; and the prospects for synergies between nuclear power and other low-carbon energy sources.
Like all technologies, Mr. Feruta said, nuclear power brings benefits and risks.
Original source: IAEA
Published on 07 October 2019
