“This report is a timely reminder that nuclear is absolutely vital if we are to hit net zero as a planet,” NIA chief executive Tom Greatrex said. “Nuclear delivers reliable, clean power, new opportunities for industrial decarbonisation and good, well-paying jobs for a green economy.”
Mr Greatrex said the retirements of existing stations right across the world, including in the UK, mean “we need to act today, or we will lose jobs and see higher emissions”.
Mr Greatrex was responding to a new technology brief from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) which said decarbonising energy is a significant undertaking that will require deployment of all available low-carbon technologies, including nuclear power, but governments must provide positive, long-term policy signals for new reactor development,.
The brief said consistent policies and clear market frameworks will enable investment in new nuclear power projects and support stable supply chains.
In an apparent reference to Europe’s sustainable finance taxonomy, it says “green finance classifications should be based on scientific and technology-neutral methodologies”. Multilateral banks and international finance institutions should consider nuclear projects as part of their “sustainable lending activities”.
