The Cop28 deal agreed at the UN climate summit in Dubai has recognised the need to “accelerate” nuclear energy as a key approach for a deep, rapid and sustained reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – a move hailed by industry representatives and European politicians as a major moment for the future of the sector.
The United Nations said that in a demonstration of global solidarity, negotiators from nearly 200 parties came together in Dubai with a decision to ratchet up climate action before the end of the decade – with the overarching aim to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach.
The final text of a document known as The UAE Consensus, agreed on Wednesday (13 December) in Dubai, recognises the need to accelerate zero- and low-emission technologies, including renewables and nuclear. It calls for abatement and removal technologies such as carbon capture and utilisation and storage, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, and low-carbon hydrogen production, which can be done with nuclear reactors.
The final text follows a declaration endorsed by 24 nations earlier at the UN’s leading climate summit to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050, marking the first time that governments have joined together at Cop to endorse nuclear power.