Nuclear industry increases support to UNECE

World Nuclear Association's support for UNECE has been growing steadily, King said. At UNECE's 9th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development, held in Kiev last year, the Association, together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), organised a workshop on Nuclear Energy and Sustainable Development: Role in the Decarbonised Energy Mix. As a result of the Association's participation, the forum's outcome document recognised that all energy sources, including nuclear, should be considered to ensure that the energy needed for sustainable development is available and affordable.

Lee took part in a panel discussion on pathways to sustainable energy at the 10th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development, held in Bangkok in October this year. The event was hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). During the discussion, Lee said he had highlighted the fact that the UNECE project results showed the important role of nuclear energy in achieving sustainable development and climate change goals.

The Association is supporting and providing input to UNECE flagship programme Pathways to Sustainable Energy, which is an important initiative to support member states to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, he said. At the request of UNECE, the Association is leading a project proposal to prepare a nuclear energy special report as a contribution to Phase 2 of the project, he added.

Lee has been selected as the new chair of the Nuclear Fuel Working Group, and as a member of the Technical Advisory Group of Expert Group on Resource Management as part of UNECE's Committee on sustainable energy.

Under the remit of the UNECE Nuclear Fuel Working group, Lee said the Association is undertaking a collaborative project with UNECE, the IAEA and the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency to prepare a report on The Role of Nuclear Energy in Sustainable development: Entry Pathways. This report is to support policymakers in nuclear newcomer countries in defining appropriate pathways for the introduction of nuclear energy to support sustainable development.

Through the Harmony Programme, the nuclear industry aims to achieve a 25% share of world electricity production by 2050 through the addition of 1000 GWe of new capacity. It encompasses three objectives - a level playing field for all clean-energy sources of electricity, harmonised regulatory processes, and an effective safety paradigm.