Category: Nuclear Energy

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Net Zero “Needs Nuclear Power,” IAEA Says in Landmark Statement Backed by Dozens of Countries at COP28

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The world needs nuclear power to fight climate change and action should be taken to expand the use of this clean energy source and help build “a low carbon bridge” to the future, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a landmark statement supported by dozens of countries at COP28 today.

Announced by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at a high-profile event of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, it was the first time such an IAEA statement was issued, its broad international backing underlining increased global interest in nuclear power to tackle the existential challenge of a rapidly warming planet.

The statement is a further indication of a new momentum for nuclear power as a source of reliable low carbon energy, needed also to meet growing electricity demand and achieve sustainable economic development.

“The IAEA and its Member States that are nuclear energy producers and those working with the IAEA to promote the benefits of peaceful uses of nuclear energy acknowledge that all available low emission technologies should be recognized and actively supported,” the statement read by Director General Grossi said.

“Net zero needs nuclear power,” it said. “Nuclear power emits no greenhouse gasses when it is produced and contributes to energy security and the stability of the power grid, while facilitating the broader uptake of solar and wind power.”

Today, 412 nuclear power reactors operating in 31 countries make up more than 370 gigawatts of installed capacity, providing almost 10 per cent of the world’s total electricity and a quarter of its low-carbon supply. Several countries – including Bangladesh, Egypt and Türkiye – are building their first nuclear power plants, while many others have also decided to introduce nuclear energy. In addition, existing nuclear power countries, including China, France, India and Sweden to name a few, are planning to expand their nuclear programmes.

“Studies confirm that the goal of global net zero carbon emissions can only be reached by 2050 with swift, sustained and significant investment in nuclear energy,” the statement said.

It underlined the importance of innovations in the nuclear sector such as small modular reactors that aim to make nuclear power easier to build, more flexible to deploy and more affordable. In addition, “continuous plant life management and refurbishment ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of our existing fleet, allowing it to provide decarbonized energy to the electric grid and other sectors,” the statement said.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, nuclear power has avoided the release of some 30 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases. It can also contribute to addressing climate change in areas apart from generating electricity, notably in helping to decarbonize district heating, desalination, industry processes and hydrogen production, the statement highlighted.

“Resilient and robust nuclear power has the potential to play a wider role in the quest towards net zero carbon emissions, while ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety and security,” it said.

Director General Grossi said that “achieving a fair and enabling investment environment for new nuclear projects remains an uphill battle. We are not at a level playing field, yet, when it comes to financing nuclear projects.”

“Analysts widely agree that nuclear power capacity will need to more than double by 2050 for current climate goals to be reached. We will need even more capacity to go beyond the electricity grid and decarbonize transport and industry,” he told the IAEA Board of Governors last month.

In a further step to enhance the prominence of nuclear power, leaders from around the world will gather in Brussels in March next year for the first-ever Nuclear Energy Summit, hosted jointly by the IAEA and Belgium.

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IAEA Statement on Nuclear Power at COP28

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Achieving sustainable economic development and averting the devastating consequences of unchecked climate change will require making use of all low carbon energy sources, including nuclear power.

Studies confirm that the goal of global net zero carbon emissions can only be reached by 2050 with swift, sustained and significant investment in nuclear energy. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change see nuclear as important part of the solution to climate change and energy insecurity.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, nuclear power has avoided the release of some 30 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases. Today, it provides a quarter of the world’s clean electricity and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Resilient and robust nuclear power has the potential to play a wider role in the quest towards net zero carbon emissions, while ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety and security. It can help to decarbonize district heating, desalination, industry processes and hydrogen production.

Nuclear power emits no greenhouse gasses when it is produced and contributes to energy security and the stability of the power grid, while facilitating the broader uptake of solar and wind power. Locally, it cuts air pollution, which is one of today’s biggest public health crises causing the death of 8 million people a year. The responsible advancement of innovative technologies, including small modular reactors, aims to make nuclear power easier to build, more flexible to deploy and more affordable, which is of particular importance to developing countries.

To build a low carbon bridge to the future will require that we keep the operating nuclear power plants serving us today. Continuous plant life management and refurbishment ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of our existing fleet, allowing it to provide decarbonized energy to the electric grid and other sectors. On the occasion of the 28th Session of the Conference Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates, the IAEA and its Member States that are nuclear energy producers and those working with the IAEA to promote the benefits of peaceful uses of nuclear energy acknowledge that all available low emission technologies should be recognized and actively supported.

Net zero needs nuclear power.

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IAEA Comes to COP28

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA has arrived at COP28.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has arrived at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai to emphasize the role that nuclear science has in helping to combat climate change. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will make a statement on 1 December, together with more than 40 nations, about the significant impact that nuclear energy can have in the global transition to net zero.

The IAEA will host and participate in around 50 events from 30 November to 12 December, and will be running the Atoms4Climate pavilion for a second year. The pavilion will feature several events on four areas of climate change: energy, food, oceans and water.

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IAEA at COP28: The Role of Nuclear Technology in Climate Change Monitoring, Mitigation and Adaptation

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

As world leaders convene at this year’s UN Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), or COP28, the IAEA will host and participate in around 50 events from 30 November to 12 December 2023, highlighting the solutions nuclear science and technology can provide in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and monitoring.

The IAEA’s Atoms4Climate pavilion in the Blue Zone will feature events focussing on on four areas: energy, food, oceans and water. Low carbon nuclear energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while nuclear techniques can be used to enhance global food security, monitor ocean health, and improve access to clean water — all of which are impacted by climate change.

IAEA Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, will announce the IAEA Statement on Nuclear Power supported by dozens of countries, in a flagship event on Friday 1 December that will highlight the role of nuclear power as part of the energy mix. The event will be livestreamed. 

Speaking at an  IAEA Board of Governors meeting ahead of COP28, Mr Grossi said: “For the first time in the history of COP, nuclear countries will be able to say yes, we are here, yes, nuclear energy is part of the solution for this global climate crisis that we have.”

Mr Grossi will also join French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Saturday 2 December, to announce the first-ever nuclear energy summit to be held in Brussels next year. The event will be livestreamed. Read more.

See the IAEA @COP28 page for the complete list of IAEA and partner events.

Net Zero

The latest Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations Environment Programme indicates the world needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 28 per cent to limit the increase in global average temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and by 42 per cent to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius  — both goals set in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. COP28 will mark the first “global stocktake” under the agreement, a comprehensive assessment of the progress that countries have made on reaching their goals to cut emissions.

There is consensus within the climate community that energy sector carbon emissions will have to be reduced to net zero by around the middle of the century to meet these goals. Nuclear power, which accounts for about 10 per cent of global electricity generation and provides about one quarter of the world’s low carbon electricity, has a key role to play in a net zero future.

What is net zero? What is the role of nuclear power and innovations?

Nuclear power offers affordability, resilience and security of energy supply and can be used alongside renewables to achieve net zero. The IAEA’s Atoms4NetZero initiative provides decision makers with comprehensive, data-driven energy scenario modelling that includes the full potential of nuclear power in contributing to net zero emissions, helping to fill a gap in studies used by governments and financial institutions in support of new nuclear power projects.

On 5 December, high level international representatives will meet at the Atoms4Climate Pavilion for an event entitled Is Nuclear Deployment Too Slow for Net Zero? The panel will relate their experiences, with the aim of dispelling the common myth that nuclear energy is too slow to help meet decarbonization targets.

On 10 December, the Atoms4Climate Pavilion will host a forum on the theme of Building Clean and Resilient Energy Systems.

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Update 199 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts based in Ukraine reported about military activity overnight that once again underlined potential nuclear safety and security dangers during the armed conflict, and not just at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

In western Ukraine, an IAEA team monitoring the situation at the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) reported hearing several explosions in close proximity, over a 20-minute period late last night while in their quarters.

Even though the plant was not directly affected, the incident showed that all of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants remain at risk as long as the war continues, Director General Grossi said.

“Much of the world’s attention – and rightly so – is focused on the very real dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, which is of special concern as it is located on the frontline. But last night’s event serves as a reminder that we must not forget about the other nuclear sites in Ukraine, which are also potentially exposed to missile and other attacks,” Director General Grossi said.

“All of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities remain vulnerable, either directly if hit by a missile or indirectly if their off-site power supplies are disrupted. There continues to be a highly precarious nuclear safety and security situation across Ukraine,” he said.

At the ZNPP today, the team also reported an air raid warning at the site that lasted for about ten minutes in the afternoon. There was no impact heard by the team during the air raid warning, and there was no damage to the site. Over the last 24 hours, the IAEA team has continued to hear the sound of explosions some distance from the plant.  

At the other Ukrainian nuclear facilities where the IAEA has permanent teams – the Rivne NPP, South Ukraine NPP and Chornobyl site – the IAEA teams did not report hearing any military activities.

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First International Guidelines on Patient Radiation Exposure Monitoring in Medical Imaging Highlight Benefits of Digitalization

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

“This report provides information on the type and amount of data that need to be collected for different imaging modalities — for example X rays or computed tomography (CT) scans — and on the different analytical uses of these data for medical facilities to ensure justified and optimized use of radiation in medical imaging,” said Miroslav Pinak, Head of the IAEA Radiation and Monitoring Section.

Medical imaging procedures represent the largest artificial source of ionizing radiation to which people are exposed, with around 4.2 billion performed each year around the world, a number that continues to rise.

The new publication encourages countries to move away from manual processes and adopt digital means of data recording and collection, which provide more accurate and efficient results.

“The guidelines can be applied to manual means of collecting and analysing exposure data, as these are still the only option available in many places. However, the publication highlights the greater benefits of using automatic digital systems for the collection and analysis of exposure data,” said Jenia Vassileva, a former IAEA radiation protection specialist, who was the focal point for this publication. “The report also recognizes the importance of standardizing data recording and collection, to ensure compatibility of data coming from different facilities and equipment.”

Previously, the analysis of doses received by patients from radiological imaging procedures relied on estimated dose values based on small samples of standard-size patients, and data collection was performed manually. Automated exposure monitoring systems can record and collect larger and more accurate amounts of data from radiological procedures and facilitate their analysis. This digital process allows medical professionals to better account for factors that influence doses and image quality, such as the patient’s weight, height and age, the imaged area of the body, and the equipment used. Such systems help radiology professionals to optimize doses to each individual patient- so that these are not unusually low or unusually high- and they also contribute to minimize unnecessary radiological procedures.

Patients who need recurrent imaging examinations over time can benefit from digital systems and electronic registries, which improve the tracking and sharing of exposure data for the whole sequence of images performed on the patient, minimizing unnecessary repeated procedures and optimizing future examinations.

 “The publication is a step forward in improving access to data on patient doses. This will facilitate the global data collection on medical exposure coordinated by UNSCEAR and the assessment of trends and patterns of radiological examinations, thus helping identify gaps in radiation protection and supporting epidemiological studies on radiation effects,” says Ferid Shannoun, Deputy Secretary at UNSCEAR.

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IAEA at COP28: Nuclear Solutions for a Net Zero Future

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

To achieve sustainable economic development and avert the devastating consequences of unchecked climate change requires making use of all low-carbon energy sources, including nuclear power.

This is the message that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will bring to the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).

Director General Grossi will announce the IAEA Statement on Nuclear Power supported by dozens of countries, in a flagship event that will highlight the role of nuclear power as part of the energy mix. The event will take place on Friday, 1 December at 15:00 (11:00 GMT), in the Shared Presentations Stage 3, Thematic Arena 3, Opportunity Petal, Blue Zone. The event is open to the media and will be livestreamed.

Director General Grossi will also join French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to announce the first-ever nuclear energy summit to be held in Brussels next year. The event will take place at the Rove Hotel in the Blue Zone on Saturday, 2 December at 09:30 (05:30 GMT). The event is open to the media and will be livestreamed.

The IAEA will once again host an Atoms4Climate pavilion in the Blue Zone at COP. Throughout the two-week event, from 30 November to 12 December, a delegation of IAEA experts, led by Director General Grossi, will showcase nuclear power, science and technology solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation and monitoring.

The IAEA will host and participate in more than 50 events focusing on four thematic areas: energy, food, the ocean and water.

See the IAEA @COP28 page for the complete list of IAEA and partner events.

The Atoms4Climate pavilion’s first event, Promoting Ocean Health with the Research Vessel AlMostakshif, will be on Thursday, 30 November at 16:00 (12:00 GMT) and will focus on preserving the health of the ocean, highlighting how the new IAEA-KISR Ocean Health project will contribute to this global effort through innovative research and capacity building among IAEA Member States.

An opening ceremony with Director General Grossi will take place on Friday, 1 December at 17:40 (13:40 GMT).

Countries facing the effects of climate change, rising energy costs and supply concerns are turning to nuclear power, which provides 10 per cent of the world’s total electricity and one quarter of its low carbon supply. Nuclear techniques, such as isotope hydrology and plant mutation breeding, can also help countries adapt to the impact of climate change on food, agriculture and water management.

IAEA media team contacts

IAEA experts in climate change mitigation, adaptation and monitoring will be available for interviews at COP28.

For interview requests and other media-related questions, please contact Fredrik Dahl, IAEA Spokesperson, at Fredrik.Dahl@iaea.org and copy press@iaea.org or call 0043 699 165 21 275.

The IAEA video team will be present at COP28. B-roll footage of the Director General, the IAEA pavilion or specific events is available, upon request. Please contact Katy Laffan, Multimedia Producer, at K.Laffan@iaea.org and copy press@iaea.org or call 0043 699 165 22 446.

Registration

Most IAEA events will be accessible via livestream without registration.

To attend events in person, you must register for COP28. For media accreditation and all other details concerning the attendance of COP28, please contact the UNFCCC media relations office. The IAEA cannot assist with accreditation to COP28.

Media kit

The IAEA COP28 media kit provides information on the four key areas highlighted at the #Atoms4Climate pavilion — energy, food, the ocean and water — along with recent reports and further background information.

The media kit also contains B-roll video footage on nuclear power and applications to tackle climate change, videos on the IAEA and climate change and high-resolution images in the IAEA Flickr account. The IAEA will take photographs at COP28 and post them on Flickr.

This material is free to use under the copyright provisions of the IAEA Terms of Use. If you have further questions, please contact us.

The IAEA’s explainer articles, podcasts and other resources on climate change are available on the IAEA website.

Follow the IAEA and #Atoms4Climate on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X) and Weibo for updates throughout COP28.

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Update 198 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The main power line supplying electricity to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been restored after a sudden cut in the connection during the weekend, the latest reminder of the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the site during the ongoing military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

Underlining the potential dangers Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant is continuing to face, the IAEA experts present at the facility heard – for a second time in the past few days – the distinctive sound of several rockets that appeared to have been fired from close to the plant. Also today, the team heard multiple artillery rounds which also seemed to have been fired from near the ZNPP.

Director General Grossi said the apparent military action in the vicinity of the plant could heighten the nuclear safety and security risks at the site and potentially undermine the five concrete principles for the protection of the ZNPP that he presented at the United Nations Security Council in May earlier this year.

“I call on all sides to exercise utmost restraint at or near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. No one would gain a military advantage from causing a nuclear accident during this terrible war, on the contrary,” he said. “The troubling events of recent days – with rockets launched from close to this major nuclear power plant – are further deepening our nuclear safety and security concerns.”

In a separate development, the ZNPP’s single remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) power line is again able to deliver the external electricity the plant needs for reactor cooling and other essential nuclear safety and security functions. The connection was lost on Sunday morning after a short circuit that reportedly occurred around 100 kilometres north of the site, but the power line connection was restored later the same evening.

During the time when the 750 kV line was disconnected, the ZNPP received off-site electricity from the only remaining 330 kV back-up power line. This means that there are once again two independent power lines essential for delivering external power to the plant.

“The plant’s vulnerable off-site power supplies remain one of our main concerns when it comes to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. As we have experienced multiple times, including last winter, attacks far away from the site can cause severe disruptions in the electricity grid that also serves the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. All military action that could endanger nuclear safety and security must be avoided,” Director General Grossi said.

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French President Macron and IAEA Director General Grossi Discuss Ukraine, Non-Proliferation, Increased Momentum for Nuclear Power

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The two leaders also discussed global non-proliferation issues, including the situation regarding Iran.

President Macron and Director General Grossi agreed for the need to highlight nuclear power’s potential to mitigate climate change at the upcoming COP28 international climate conference where the IAEA, France and Belgium will also announce the first-ever nuclear energy summit to be held in Brussels next year.

In a world where the full potential of nuclear power as part of a low carbon energy mix is still not fully recognized, France plays a unique global role in advancing this technology, Mr Grossi said. France’s 56 nuclear power plants account for more than 60 per cent of the total French electricity generation – the largest share worldwide. The figure is expected to rise as the country builds an additional reactor, plans to construct at least six more and considers the future deployment of small modular reactors.  

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IAEA Calls for the Next Generation to Participate in #ICONS2024 Conference

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA is calling for young people to participate in high level and technical discussions on nuclear security in next year’s International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future (ICONS 2024). Interested university students and early career professionals are invited to apply for the Nuclear Security Delegation for the Future. Ten successful applicants will be chosen to participate and will have their expenses covered for the conference in Vienna next May.  

“Giving a voice to the young generation is of utmost importance for shaping the future of nuclear security,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security. “Through the call for participation in the Nuclear Security Delegation for the Future, we are looking for young candidates with a passionate vision to engage in the international nuclear security dialogue.” 

The Nuclear Security Delegation for the Future is an opportunity for students and early career professionals to develop or refine their leadership, communication and diplomacy skills, by interacting with nuclear security professionals from around the world during ICONS 2024. 

Interested university students (undergraduate and graduate) and early career professionals with less than five years of work experience related to nuclear security from all IAEA Member States are invited to submit a comprehensive resume and a letter of motivation by 1 February 2024. A selection committee will review the submissions and interview a limited number of applicants to choose the ten members of the Nuclear Security Delegation for the Future.  

The ten successful applicants will be actively involved before and during ICONS 2024 in important parts of the conference. The results of their deliberations will be presented at ICONS 2024. The young delegates will also have opportunities for professional development including interactive sessions with senior officials, policy makers and nuclear security experts representing countries, industry and international organizations.   

The IAEA will cover the financial cost for the ten selected applicants’ attendance to ICONS 2024, including their travel and accommodation expenses. 

Details are available in the Nuclear Security Delegation for the Future announcement.  

For any relevant questions you can contact: ICONS2024 

ICONS 2024: Registration is open 

ICONS 2024 will be the fourth ministerial-level international conference on nuclear security. The upcoming conference programme includes both a ministerial and a technical segment, inviting participants to discuss nuclear security with a focus on the future. It will bring together ministers, senior government officials, high-level staff from agencies involved in making policy for, and managing, nuclear security, and technical and legal experts working in all areas of nuclear security. The conference aims to attract industry and civil society representatives, including non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. 

For more information about registration and participation see: Participation and Registration: International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future.