Climate Change | Nuclear Power | Global Warming

Nuclear Energy and Climate Change

Nuclear energy is a vital component of a clean energy strategy. Currently nuclear generation avoids the emission of over two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

Nuclear energy can address the competing needs for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, economic development and energy security. A wider deployment of nuclear power will reduce the cost of achieving emissions reductions, and increase the chances of meeting our climate change objectives. Nuclear is recognized as a crucial mitigation technology and many countries are planning to use nuclear generation to meet the goals of the UNFCCC.

• Nuclear generation plays a key role in emissions reduction
• Uranium reserves and resources are plentiful
• New generation build for power generation should make maximum use of low carbon technologies
• Nuclear is compatible with the three pillars of sustainable development

Read more in our climate change paper

• Nuclear Energy: Meeting the Climate Change Challenge

Facts about Nuclear Power

The WNA Public Information Service provides a range of in-depth papers on nuclear energy, climate change and sustainable development.
Nuclear Power in the World Today
Nuclear Fuel Cycle.
Radioactive Wastes - Myths and Realities
Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors
World Nuclear Power Reactors 2009-10 and Uranium Requirements

Future of Nuclear Energy

A significant expansion of nuclear generation is taking place to tackle climate change.
Plans For New Reactors Worldwide
Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries
The Nuclear Renaissance
Economics of Nuclear Power
WNA Nuclear Century Outlook

Energy and Environment
Nuclear powers to top of the table ◄

Power companies using a lot of nuclear energy have been shown as among America's cleanest by the Natural Resources Defence Council in recently published data.

Apec energy ministers back nuclear power ◄

Energy ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum have agreed that the deployment of clean energy sources - including nuclear energy - should be promoted in the region.

Roadmap shows the way for nuclear future ◄

Nuclear power could become the world's single biggest source of electricity, said a roadmap revealed today by intergovernmental agencies. Industry says the projections are not ambitious enough.

Royal Academy: Prepare for electric cars ◄

Electric cars will reduce emissions at point of use, but their green credentials rely on the grid and a new generation mix to charge their batteries, warns the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering. A future UK fleet could need an additional 160 GWh per day.

The only way is up for world energy use ◄

Economic growth in the world's developing nations will drive world energy consumption up by 49% over the next quarter of a century, according to the latest projections from the US Energy Information Administration.

Other Useful Information

ICC (International Chamber of Commerce)
Contribution on Nuclear Energy

NEI (Nuclear Energy Institute)
Cophenhagen Fact Sheet
Just the Facts

Foratom (European Atomic Forum)
Emissions Avoidance in EU
Post 2012 Position Paper

OECD NEA
Addressing Climate Change

Sustainable Energy

Nuclear technologies can be used in a wide range of applications to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, in addition to electricity generation.
Electricity and Cars
Nuclear Desalination
Transport and the Hydrogen Economy
Renewable Energy and Electricity

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