Nuclear power can play a key role in the 21st century in helping nations meet their energy needs and reduce the spread of greenhouse gases, a statement backed by nearly all 74 states at a nuclear conference said.
PARIS — Nuclear power can play a key role in the 21st century in helping nations meet their energy needs and reduce the spread of greenhouse gases, a statement backed by nearly all 74 states at a nuclear conference said.
The declaration was issued at the end of a 2-day conference called "Nuclear power for the 21st century" organised by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hosted by the French government.
"A vast majority of participants affirmed that nuclear power can make a major contribution to meeting energy needs and sustaining the world's development in the 21st century," the statement said.
Nuclear power "does not generate air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions," it said, adding that nuclear power generation was a proven technology that can deliver safe and affordable electricity.
A European expert at the conference said on condition of anonymity that only "a handful" of states objected to the view that nuclear energy could play a key role in this century -- among them oil-rich Saudi Arabia.
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On Monday, IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei said atomic power was coming back into vogue. "All indicators show that an increased level of emphasis on subjects such as fast growing energy demand, security of energy supply and the risk of climate change, are driving a reconsideration in some quarters of the need for greater investment in nuclear power," ElBaradei said.
The closing statement said participants agreed that the "health of the environment ... is a serious concern that must be regarded as a priority by all governments."
It also said states must ensure the highest possible level of nuclear safety to avoid accidents. Safety and Security
The statement also touched on the risk that terrorists might attack atomic facilities or that nuclear material could be stolen for use in weapons. "States must make the necessary arrangements to ensure the highest level of security of nuclear material and facilities," it said.
It also called on governments to ensure there were "appropriate options for the management and disposition of nuclear fuel" to prevent nuclear waste from becoming a burden for future generations.
ElBaradei said on Monday that despite an improved atomic energy industry: "Nuclear power was dealt a heavy blow by the tragedy of the 1986 Chernobyl accident, a blow from which the reputation of the nuclear industry has never fully recovered."
The explosion at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine, the world's worst civil nuclear accident, spewed a cloud of radioactivity across Europe and has been blamed for thousands of deaths from radiation-linked illness. More than 100,000 people had to be resettled.
Source: Reuters
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