By KYIV. Dec 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – More than 20 countries have supported the UN World Climate Change Conference COP28 declaration to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050, recognizing the key role of nuclear power in achieving global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy reported on Saturday.
The document was adopted at the UN World Climate Change Conference (COP28) taking place in Dubai. Ukraine is represented at the event by Deputy Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk.
“Currently, a renaissance of the nuclear industry is taking place in the world. However, Russia’s terrorist actions at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, where another blackout occurred today, jeopardize this global trend. The development of nuclear energy is impossible without security guarantees. The basis for this could be the Peace Formula of President Zelenskyy, around which many countries of the world are joining their efforts,” Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Haluschenko commented on the adopted document.
The following countries have joined the declaration: the United States, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, Hungary, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Great Britain.
The parties committed to take internal measures to ensure that nuclear power plants are operated responsibly and meet the highest standards of safety, sustainability and non-proliferation, as well as responsible long-term management of spent nuclear fuel.
The declaration states that new nuclear technologies do not require large areas for placement and, together with renewable energy sources, contribute to the decarbonization of not only the energy sector, but also other carbon-intensive sectors of the economy.
The parties committed to mobilize investment in nuclear energy, in particular through innovative financing mechanisms and the involvement of international financial institutions.
