US, UK to Push Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 at COP28

Nov 14, 2023, John Ainger, Rachel Morison and Akshat Rathi, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) — The US will lead a push at the COP28 climate summit to triple the amount of installed nuclear power capacity globally by 2050, marking a major turnaround for the controversial technology at the climate negotiations.

The declaration will call on the World Bank and other international financial institutions to include nuclear energy in their lending policies, according to a document seen by Bloomberg News. The US will likely be joined by the UK, France, Sweden, Finland and South Korea in the pledge to be signed Dec. 1 in Dubai, according to people familiar with the matter.

That will be followed a few days later by a nuclear industry commitment to triple generation resources from 2020 levels, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the information isn’t public.

“Nuclear is 100% part of the solution,” John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate, said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum last week. “It’s clean energy.”

The countries recognize “the key role of nuclear energy in achieving global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century,” a draft of the declaration says. ……….

The declaration is the latest sign of shifting sentiment toward nuclear power, which doesn’t produce carbon dioxide emissions, but has often been criticized over the waste it generates, the cost of building plants and potential security issues. ……… The countries will also commit to new technologies, such as small modular reactors.

…… The US is discussing nuclear cooperation agreements with Kenya and Ghana, and renewing a pact with South Africa, according to Joshua Volz, the US Department of Energy’s deputy assistant secretary for Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East.

……………… The United Nations’ 28th Conference of the Parties, known as COP28, will take place in the United Arab Emirates, which is the only country in the Arabian Peninsula with a nuclear power program. It’s not clear if the hosts will sign……. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/us-uk-to-push-pledge-to-triple-nuclear-power-by-2050-at-cop28-1.1998524

November 16, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change

2 Comments »

Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry is wrong. NUCLEAR POWER IS NOT CLEAN ENERGY! It is not “green energy.” It is dirty energy and is not the panacea for fighting climate change. Renewable energy from the solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, current, biomass, hydrogen for fuel cells from water, not natural gas, iron-chromium flux capacitors, lithium ion batteries, upgrading the electrical grids, using “microgrids,” mass transit with electric trains, trucks cars, boats, ships and yes, planes (aluminum ion batteries & hydrogen fuel cells), retrofiting buildings, energy conservation with more efficient machines and motors. Go to the websites of The Solutions Project or the Rocky Mountain Institute for the plans and research. “Atoms for Peace,” become Atoms for War.” Nuclear power is totally unnecessary for our energy needs. It is simply too expensive and too dangerous. Has everybody forgotten about Fukishima, Cherynoble, and Three Mile Island? No new nuclear plants have been ordered in thirty years in the US. If it is so safe, why is its liability limited by the Price-Anderson Act? This is wrong and shear madness. Who has bought John Kerry’s vote? Does he have investments from his wife’s assets in the nuclear energy?

Comment by paulrodenlearning | November 16, 2023 | Reply
- Well said!.
  Now, on my website nuclear-news.net, I did post several articles outlining John Kerry’s previous opposition to the nuclear industry. While those posts would still be there, – it is hard for me to find them – I’ve been running that website for 16 years, and it can take a long time to retrieve very old posts.
  Kerry was a strong opponent of nuclear power
  In 1994, Kerry led opposition to continued funding for the Integral Fast Reactor, which resulted in the end of funding for the project.
  Kerry was also instrumental in the decision to stop the Yucca nuclear waste plan.
  So I too, am puzzled at his about-turn. Very glad to see someone else asking these questions about John Kerry
  
  Comment by Christina Macpherson | November 17, 2023 | Reply