Energy is the foundation of human flourishing. The story of the past century has been of people rising out of poverty by gaining access to more energy. However, fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy mix and exacerbate the ongoing climate crisis.
 

In the face of the pressing challenges posed by climate change and continued global energy poverty/inequality, especially across the Global South, we are calling on world leaders to replicate the success of the French Messmer plan, which delivered a rapid deployment of nuclear energy in France, on a global scale.

Nuclear energy’s attributes of low life cycle carbon emissions, small land footprint, and low lifecycle raw material use make it a vital clean energy source for both addressing climate change and biodiversity impacts.

 

Countless studies and assessments from reputable organisations, including the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), affirm the role of nuclear energy in mitigating climate change and achieving sustainable development goals. As we witness an escalating rate of global warming, the deployment of clean energy like nuclear, hydro, solar, and wind is more urgent than ever.

 

A significant global push for nuclear energy would not only align with our climate objectives but also unlock significant socio-economic benefits, including job creation, technological innovation, and stronger energy resilience. Harmonising regulations and licensing, favouring standardisation, ensuring access to fitting financing tools, and streamlining nuclear supply chains are keys to unlocking nuclear's potential. 

 

The plan must be truly global, ensuring both developed and developing societies have the opportunity to secure a high standard of living while safeguarding their citizens against climate extremes. During climate extremes, nuclear energy's reliability serves as a backbone to energy systems, guaranteeing access to essential life-saving services such as heating and cooling.

 

Polling shows that globally, citizens are overwhelmingly in favour of including nuclear energy in the global clean energy transition, even in countries with historical opposition to nuclear energy. A failure to seize this public support would result in more lost time and potentially see us experience the more extreme climate change scenarios outlined by the IPCC.

 

We urge world leaders to seize this historic opportunity to work together to build a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable world for future generations.