COP30: Nuclear Energy Gains Momentum as Climate Talks Conclude in Belém
COP30 in Belém, Brazil, has now come to an end. Global climate negotiations have focussed around national climate plans, financing mechanisms, and the transition away from fossil fuels. The conference has also drawn attention to forests and indigenous rights. Meanwhile, the number of governments backing the Global Declaration to Triple Nuclear Capacity has grown to 33, with Rwanda and Senegal joining the coalition, and a growing number of countries are incorporating nuclear into their plans for climate change mitigation.
A Turning Point in Climate Diplomacy
The conference opened with a strong signal of unity: all parties swiftly adopted the official COP30 agenda on Day 1, reflecting renewed engagement in multilateral climate action.
However, many governments have still not submitted their Nationally Determined Contribution documents – national climate plans setting out how each country intends to progress over the next ten years towards meeting the Paris Agreement goals.
In addition to discussing these national climate plans, COP30 also sought to make progress on climate finance, with a focus on scaling up funding for adaptation and mitigation, refining rules for international carbon trading and emissions reporting, and implementation of the mitigation and adaptation measures set out in the Global Stocktake, agreed at COP28 in Dubai.
Thematic discussions also expanded to include adaptation, urban infrastructure, water and waste management, the bioeconomy, and AI-driven climate solutions.
In the end, the final agreement disappointed many countries, with no significant developments on how to transition away from fossil fuels. Commitments for adaption funding were also scaled back. Progress on these issues has been deferred to future COPs.
Nuclear Energy Embraced by More Countries
COP30 continued the trend seen over the last five years of increasing recognition of the positive role nuclear energy should play in climate change mitigation:
Support for Tripling Nuclear Capacity by 2050
The number of countries endorsing the governmental Declaration to Triple Nuclear Capacity by 2050 has grown to 33, with new supporters Rwanda and Senegal joining the declaration at an event jointly organized by the UK Government and World Nuclear Association, which is acting as a key international facilitator.
Financial institutions, CIBC and Stifel, have joined the Statement of Support, alongside large energy users and industrial sectors, expanding the coalition of stakeholders committed to nuclear energy’s role in the clean energy transition. You can read more about this in World Nuclear News.
Nuclear in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Nuclear energy is increasingly being recognized in countries’ NDCs, which set out their climate commitments for the next ten years:
- For the first time, nuclear is mentioned positively in the NDCs of Brazil, Moldova, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and the European Union.
- Seven countries have reiterated their support for nuclear from previous NDCs.
- The EU’s collective NDC adds 27 member states to the list of nuclear-acknowledging countries.
In total, 13 NDCs currently include nuclear energy—six for the first time and seven as repeat mentions. If countries that previously included nuclear in their NDCs continue to do so in their 2025 updates, the number of nuclear-supporting nations could rise to 18, plus the EU bloc.
Newly Submitted NDCs (2025)
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- European Union
- Moldova
- Nigeria
- Russia
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States (previous administration)
Nuclear is also implicitly incorporated in other NDCs, such as Indonesia’s, where nuclear forms part of the national energy policy described in that country’s NDC.
Support in National Statements
Several countries highlighted their support for nuclear energy in high level statements made at COP30.
In a notable policy shift, Indonesia—long reliant on coal—announced its support for nuclear power. The country aims to cap emissions at 1.5 gigatons by 2035 and achieve 23% renewables in its energy mix by 2030.
The UK said it would be delivering the biggest nuclear building program in a generation as part of a plan to make Britain a clean energy superpower,
Finland highlighted its power sector as an energy transition success story, with renewable and nuclear power constituting more than 95% of electricity production.
Malaysia announced that it was exploring nuclear energy as a low-carbon option.
World Nuclear Associations Expanding Network and Influence
World Nuclear Association deepened its engagement at COP30 through a series of high-level dialogues with policymakers, major energy users, and industry leaders. These conversations — featuring perspectives from organisations such as the World Steel Association, Urenco, JAIF, Dow, the IAEA, CEPI, and academic and government representatives from Japan, Senegal, and Brazil — explored the practical steps needed to accelerate nuclear’s role in global decarbonisation. You can watch the interviews in full and read summaries of each interview on our Net Zero Nuclear interviews page.
World Nuclear Association played a central role across COP30’s energy and industry discussions, contributing to debates ranging from sustainable finance and industrial decarbonisation to the future of AI-driven electricity demand and the global shift from coal to clean firm power. The Association also offered an early look at the forthcoming World Nuclear Outlook Report and held a well-attended Fission Forward event at the UK Government pavilion.
Looking Ahead
As COP30 comes to an end, the growing alignment around nuclear energy signals a broader shift in how countries are approaching the clean energy transition. COP31 will be held in Turkey, a nation soon to start its first nuclear power plant and seeking to expand its nuclear capacity further. With World Nuclear Association playing a central role in advocacy and coordination, nuclear power is poised to become a cornerstone of global climate strategy.