Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
Dialogue between IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and filmmaker Robert Stone, who made the pro-nuclear documentaty Pandora’s Promise, moderated by nuclear energy influencer Isabelle Boemeke. (Photo: D.Calma/IAEA)
The first IAEA International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes kicked off today in Vienna, with more than 500 participants from around the world arriving to advance the global conversation.
The weeklong conference, which is unique in IAEA history and is livestreamed here, began with a dialogue between IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and filmmaker Robert Stone. Mr Stone’s 2013 documentary Pandora’s Promise reignited the debate about nuclear power and championed its benefits as a clean, reliable and sustainable energy source, shortly after Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi accident had prompted some countries to reconsider its use or to phase it out altogether.
Isabelle Boemeke, a prominent nuclear energy influencer known as Isodope, moderated the talk between Mr Stone and Mr Grossi, who since taking the IAEA helm in 2019 has helped lead a global conversation on the role on nuclear power for climate change mitigation and energy security, by highlighting the science and facts.
“We are not nuclear lobbyists. What we believe is that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a beneficial thing,” Mr Grossi said. “You may have it or not, but the very first step should be an enlightened, honest debate about how countries can benefit.”
The opening film of the conference highlighted how public and political opinion is shifting in favour of nuclear power.
New Global Consensus
While global support for nuclear power declined in the years after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the picture is very different today. A global consensus on accelerating its deployment coalesced at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where a pledge to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 was announced that has now been backed by more than 30 countries. However, maximizing the potential of nuclear power will requires robust stakeholder engagement that consider the concerns and interests of everyone from the general public and government officials to regulators, industry and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Director General Grossi and Mr Stone reflected on how perceptions of nuclear power have changed in recent years, the importance of debunking myths, and why creating clean energy abundance and energy security are priorities. The dialogue concluded with a look at what’s ahead for nuclear power.
“I think there is this struggle to point out that nuclear is in fact absolutely necessary. The growth in energy demand all over the world is so dramatic. Renewables are growing, but we have not reduced the amount of fossil fuels. The percentage of fossil fuels to clean energy has remained static since the turn of the century,” said Stone. “So, I think that is the next front in terms of making the case for nuclear energy.”
The opening day’s first panel featured speakers spanning the gamut of stakeholders including government officials, leaders from municipalities that host nuclear facilities, financial experts, newcomer countries, Indigenous Peoples and NGOs. The panellists from Argentina, Belgium, Finland, Jordan, Kenya, the United States of America and the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (Canada) discussed issues such as nuclear facility host community engagement, misinformation and how incentives such as scholarships and other educational opportunities can be an effective component of stakeholder engagement.
Learning Lessons
Stakeholder engagement for nuclear power has been done for many years, evolving as lessons are learned and implemented. The conference’s second panel brought together experts to discuss how practices for engaging communities, regulators, industry and media have improved over the years in line with shifting societal perceptions and expectations.
Around 30 newcomer countries are currently either considering the introduction of nuclear power or have embarked on developing a programme. The third and final panel of the day showcased stakeholder engagement for newcomers, three of which (Bangladesh, Egypt and Türkiye) are already constructing their first nuclear power plants.
The conference, for which 627 participants registered from 81 countries and 17 international organizations, was organized to help meet increasing demand for support on stakeholder engagement for nuclear power programmes as well as to serve as a global platform for exchange among nuclear communities worldwide. The weeklong programme includes panel sessions, side events and flash talks, as well as a special event featuring around 80 mayors and representatives from host communities around the world. The event, ‘Nuclear Communities and Mayors in Focus’, will take place on 27 May and serve as an opportunity for these community leaders to share their experiences and exchange ideas.
Nuclear Art Contest
The conference also features an international nuclear art contest. Much as the Pop Art movement in the 1960s revolutionized the way society viewed mass culture and consumerism, Nuclear Pop! asked artists to reclaim nuclear energy’s cultural narrative — from fear and fallout to innovation and sustainability. More than 400 works were submitted for the contest, organized by Generation Atomic, and a selection of the best are on display at the IAEA headquarters this week.
“We are living in such a unique moment where public acceptance, government support, and even big venture capital money is going into nuclear,” said Boemeke. “Keep putting the stories out there, keep engaging with the communities.”