Six More Countries Endorse the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050 at COP29
Issued 13 November 2024
Six More Countries Endorse the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050 at COP29
Today at COP29 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, six countries joined the declaration to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
The announcement was made on the third day of the World Climate Action Summit by Ministers and high-level officials representing the signatory countries, at an event co-organized by the COP29 Presidency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United States of America, and World Nuclear Association.
The announcement brings the total number of countries endorsing the declaration to 31.
Opening the event, Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association, representing the global nuclear industry said:
"We warmly welcome these six new countries to the Coalition of the Ambitious. Today's announcement highlights the essential role of nuclear energy in meeting the Paris Agreement goals in a cost-effective and equitable manner.
Leadership requires a clear-eyed assessment of the here and now, but also the foresight to prepare for what the world will need not only in 2050, but in the decades after.
The signatories to this declaration are making a long-term commitment. But it is a long-term commitment with a long term pay off, providing energy certainty and reliability in an uncertain world.”
Highlighting the countries, industries and companies supporting the aspiration to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050, Sama continued:
“Nuclear can now count on the world’s biggest banks to back the growth of the nuclear industry. Nuclear has attracted the interest and investment of the world’s largest and most advanced technology companies. And nuclear has ever-increasing support from the public, who recognize that in nuclear they have an answer to their demands for energy security, reliable supply and prices, and a response to climate change. This is truly a global coalition of the ambitious. And thank you all for being part of it.”
Today’s announcement is the latest moment of recognition for the essential role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero emissions. Yesterday at COP, the US Administration issued a roadmap outlining plans for the deployment of 200 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050. Other recent developments have included:
- The recognition of nuclear energy—for the first time in a major COP decision—among the solutions needed to keep the 1.5-degree goal within reach, as part of last year’s Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement.
- The historic Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy signed at the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai
- In March 2024, the IAEA and Belgium co-chaired the first Nuclear Energy Summit, in which countries highlighted the role of nuclear energy in reducing the use of fossil fuels, enhancing energy security, and boosting economic development.
- In September 2024, at New York Climate Week, 14 of the world’s largest banks and financial institutions from five countries signaled their support for tripling global nuclear capacity.
Notes for editors
- The signatories to the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050
The 31 nations endorsing the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy include Armenia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, *El Salvador, Finland, France, Ghana, Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, *Kazakhstan, *Kenya, Republic of Korea, *Kosovo, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, *Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, *Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
*New endorsers, as of Wednesday 13 November 2024, at COP29 in Baku.
- Facts & figures about nuclear*
- Global nuclear electricity generation rose to 2602 TWh in 2023, up from 2544 TWh in 2022, providing 9% of the world’s electricity—second only to hydropower among clean energy sources.
- In 2023, nuclear reactors helped avoid 2.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from equivalent coal generation— that’s more than the annual emissions of every individual country, with only China, the US and India having higher national CO2 emissions.
- 64 reactors in 15 countries are currently under construction, while over 20 new entrant countries, such as Ghana, Poland, and the Philippines, are at various stages of developing policies to enable construction of their first nuclear plants.
* Taken from World Nuclear Association’s annual World Nuclear Performance Report, published in August 2024.
- About World Nuclear Association
World Nuclear Association is the international organization that represents the global nuclear industry. Its mission is to facilitate the growth of the nuclear sector by connecting players across the value chain, representing the industry’s position in key world forums, and providing authoritative information and influencing key audiences.
If you would like more information on this topic, please call Henry Preston on +44 (0)20 7451 1523 or email press@world-nuclear.org
- About Net Zero Nuclear
Net Zero Nuclear aims to recognize and advance the essential role of nuclear energy in global efforts to combat climate change by tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050 and by bringing together world leaders, policymakers, the nuclear industry, scientists, civil society, and activists. For more information on Net Zero Nuclear, visit netzeronuclear.org.