Nuclear Energy and Addressing Climate Change

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Related Environmental Issues

Nuclear power is one of the options available for alleviating the risk of global climate change and its potential contribution to GHG emissions reduction could be significant. However, the future role of nuclear power will depend on maintaining the high-level of safety achieved by nuclear units operated in OECD countries and implementing high level radioactive waste repositories in order to ensure the sustainability of nuclear power. Keeping the nuclear option open in order to realize its potential will require a number of actions by industries in the nuclear sector and by governments.

In a longer-term perspective, non-electrical applications of nuclear energy, such as heat, potable water and hydrogen production, could be developed, and these applications could enlarge significantly nuclear power's contribution to GHG emission reduction. Research and development would be necessary in order to assess fully the technical feasibility of those applications at the industrial level and the economic competitiveness of nuclear versus fossil fuels and renewable sources. Governments could play an important role by supporting such research and development, and international organisations could assist in this process by promoting and facilitating exchange of information.