Government and industry call for more nuclear energy to meet net zero targets
Twenty countries have committed to nuclear energy to achieve their net zero emission targets and agreed on a number of guiding principles to increase momentum in their nuclear new build projects.
At the Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference, organised by the French Ministry for Energy Transition and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in Paris, the energy ministers of 20 countries agreed on a joint communiqué in which they highlight the need for nuclear energy to meet global energy challenges.
Nuclear energy is already a key part of the pathways to net zero in many countries, and it can play a much larger role, both through the continued operation of existing installations and the large-scale construction of new nuclear power plants.
This will require significant international co-operation, in particular to unlock access to financing, to harmonise and enable policy and regulatory frameworks, to support research and development, and to foster stable supply chains, including for nuclear fuel. Achieving these goals will depend on the further training of a skilled workforce and continued public engagement through transparent, inclusive and responsible democratic decision-making processes.
During the Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference, nine industry nuclear bodies also came together to sign a joint communiqué setting out their readiness to work together with policymakers to rebuild leadership in nuclear energy across the world. They committed to deepening their existing co-operation to meet climate and energy security goals.
The communiqués and the discussions at the conference, which included energy ministers and leaders from industry, will help set the stage for joint, focused action by policymakers, utilities and the private sector. This is particularly important in the run-up to the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) to be held in Dubai on 30 November – 12 December 2023.
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The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is an intergovernmental agency that facilitates co-operation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, environment and law. The NEA operates within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and is located just outside Paris, France. The objective of the Agency is to assist its member countries in maintaining and further developing, through international co-operation, the scientific, technological and legal bases required for a safe, environmentally sound and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
