2023-12-02 08:07:02
Update
December 2, 2023
09:07
Around twenty countries including the United States, France, the United Arab Emirates and Belgium, called on Saturday at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacities in the world by 2050.
Around twenty countries including the United States, France and the United Arab Emirates called on Saturday, in a joint declaration at COP28, to triple nuclear energy capacities in the world by 2050, compared to 2020, to reduce dependence on coal and gas, the major challenge of this COP.
The announcement was made by John Kerry, the US climate envoy, in Dubai, along with several leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. But China and Russia, main manufacturers of nuclear power plants in the world today, are not among the signatories.
China and Russia, the main builders of nuclear power plants today, are not among the signatories.
According to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, the world is expected to have a dozen new nuclear countries in the coming decade. Ten countries are in the decision-making phase and 17 less advanced. According to him, the world gained 7 gigawatts (GW) of additional capacity this year, and 4 GW last year, “which means that we are far below the level that we need” he indicated to a meeting just before COP28.
To achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, the IAEA like the International Energy Agency (IEA) expect at least a doubling of nuclear production capacity. Today “we have around 400 reactors in 31 countries, we would need double that or maybe more”, according to Grossi.
A 20-year extension?
As a reminder, in Belgium, the federal government is finalizing the details of the agreement concluded with Engie on the 10-year extension of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors. But Prime Minister Alexander De Croo indicated this week that the next government will have to “consider a 20-year extension of Doel 4 and Tihange 3” and “conscientiously analyze the need to act on Tihange 1.”
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