Statement at the closing of the International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power
Vienna, Austria
(As prepared for delivery)
Thank you, Mikhail.
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I have been very interested to learn about your discussions this week.
We all recognise that climate change is one of the gravest concerns facing the world today.
We all agree that moving in just a few decades towards a world in which most electricity is carbon-free will be very challenging.
But it has to be done.
I believe the main message from this conference is clear: to meet the climate goals which the nations of the world have agreed on, we need to be much more ambitious.
We must make full use of all carbon-free energy technologies.
And without a significant role for nuclear power in the world’s energy mix, climate goals will not be met by the agreed deadlines. It is that simple.
All four model pathways identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to achieve the climate goals by 2050 would require a significant increase in nuclear power capacity compared with present-day levels.
Nuclear has a great story to tell. We should acknowledge concerns about issues such as safety and waste disposal and address misconceptions. But we must also highlight the great benefits which this remarkable technology offers to the world.
It goes without saying that the highest safety standards must always be maintained.
I understand that there was broad agreement among participants on the need to implement innovations in the current nuclear fleet to extend the life of nuclear power plants.
There was a recognition of the need to reduce construction times and control the costs of new nuclear installations.
The need to develop new financial mechanisms to encourage private and public investment in nuclear projects was highlighted.
Clearly, the development and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies such as Small Modular Reactors will be essential for the future.
There is a need to ensure that current and future nuclear technologies can be smoothly integrated with other carbon-free energy technologies.
And more use should be made of nuclear power for non-electric applications such as cogeneration, district heating, hydrogen production and general industrial applications.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am grateful to all of you for your presence and your active participation this week. It is you, the world’s leading experts in all aspects of nuclear power, who have made this first IAEA conference on climate change a great success.
Your discussions will be of great benefit to the IAEA as we continue to work with all of you to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear power.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mikhail.
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I have been very interested to learn about your discussions this week.
We all recognise that climate change is one of the gravest concerns facing the world today.
We all agree that moving in just a few decades towards a world in which most electricity is carbon-free will be very challenging.
But it has to be done.
I believe the main message from this conference is clear: to meet the climate goals which the nations of the world have agreed on, we need to be much more ambitious.
We must make full use of all carbon-free energy technologies.
And without a significant role for nuclear power in the world’s energy mix, climate goals will not be met by the agreed deadlines. It is that simple.
All four model pathways identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to achieve the climate goals by 2050 would require a significant increase in nuclear power capacity compared with present-day levels.
Nuclear has a great story to tell. We should acknowledge concerns about issues such as safety and waste disposal and address misconceptions. But we must also highlight the great benefits which this remarkable technology offers to the world.
It goes without saying that the highest safety standards must always be maintained.
I understand that there was broad agreement among participants on the need to implement innovations in the current nuclear fleet to extend the life of nuclear power plants.
There was a recognition of the need to reduce construction times and control the costs of new nuclear installations.
The need to develop new financial mechanisms to encourage private and public investment in nuclear projects was highlighted.
Clearly, the development and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies such as Small Modular Reactors will be essential for the future.
There is a need to ensure that current and future nuclear technologies can be smoothly integrated with other carbon-free energy technologies.
And more use should be made of nuclear power for non-electric applications such as cogeneration, district heating, hydrogen production and general industrial applications.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am grateful to all of you for your presence and your active participation this week. It is you, the world’s leading experts in all aspects of nuclear power, who have made this first IAEA conference on climate change a great success.
Your discussions will be of great benefit to the IAEA as we continue to work with all of you to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear power.
Thank you.
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