By Mary Albon, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication
As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi will join global leaders and stakeholders at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), or COP29, to highlight the vast potential of nuclear solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation and monitoring.
The IAEA will showcase nuclear solutions for climate action in some 40 events at COP29, which will take place from 11 to 22 November 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Agency’s Atoms4Climate pavilion will feature an exhibit on nuclear applications, with IAEA experts ready to answer questions about how nuclear energy contributes to net-zero emissions and how nuclear science can address climate-related challenges to food security, water resources and ocean health.
COP29 will build on the global consensus that emerged at COP28 in Dubai, where the Global Stocktake marked a historic turning point with its call for accelerating the deployment of nuclear energy, along with other low-emission technologies, to help achieve deep and rapid decarbonization.
“At COP28, the world agreed nuclear power must be part of the transition to net zero,” said IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi in the runup to COP29. “We know investment in nuclear power can lower grid costs and speed up the deployment of intermittent clean-energy sources like wind and solar. As the world moves from consensus to construction, the IAEA supports newcomer countries in establishing safe, secure, safeguarded and sustainable nuclear power programmes.”
COP29 also follows on the first-ever Nuclear Energy Summit, hosted in Brussels by the IAEA and the Government of Belgium in March 2024, where leaders from more than 30 countries reaffirmed their commitment to nuclear energy as a way to reduce carbon emissions and meet development goals.
A Call for Investment
A central theme of COP29 will be the pressing need for increased climate finance. A UN report released on 28 October indicates that current policies and investments fall far short of what is needed to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C in this century, the target of the Paris Agreement.
On 13 November, Mr. Grossi will join high-level representatives from the COP29 Presidency, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), multilateral development banks and the nuclear industry in an event hosted by the COP29 Presidency on “Financing Low Carbon Technology, including Nuclear Energy” to discuss the crucial role of governments, multilateral development banks and the private sector in scaling up nuclear energy.
Small Modular Reactors: A Flexible Solution
Grossi will co-host a high-level event with the Government of the United States of America on small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer flexible, cost-effective options for powering small energy grids, making them suitable for developing countries, as well as energy-intensive industries, data centers and even commercial ships.
Advancing Sustainable Development
The IAEA will highlight innovative research and technologies incorporating nuclear techniques that enhance food security, preserve water resources and monitor ocean ecosystems while addressing climate change through mitigating actions.
On 12 November, Grossi will take the stage with high-level representatives from UNIDO, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization and prominent speakers from governments, the private sector and financial institutions in an event on “Decarbonizing and Adapting the Cotton-to-Clothing Value Chain through Multisectoral Partnerships.” This event will highlight how innovative policies, technologies and partnerships can help decarbonize the cotton sector while building resilience to climate change.
Also on 12 November, Grossi will join high-level officials in a discussion on “Atoms4Food: Growing Food Security” hosted by the People’s Republic of China. The event will showcase successful climate-smart agricultural projects using nuclear technology and delivered through the IAEA/FAO Atoms4Food initiative. The benefits of South-South collaboration on climate action will be the focus of an event on “South-South Cooperation for Atoms4Food” co-hosted by the IAEA, the FAO and CGIAR on 20 November.
The IAEA will participate in several events on glacier retreat, a significant indicator of climate change that profoundly affects water resources. These events will emphasize the importance of monitoring and assessing the effects of glacier melt to help ensure sustainable water resources for future generations.
On 18 November, the IAEA will host an event on “Leveraging Science, Technology and Innovation for Climate Solutions”. Featuring advanced nuclear technologies that contribute to resilient crop development, pollution monitoring and disease control, the event will emphasize the importance of international collaboration, increasing support for research & development, expanding data access and mobilizing public-private funding for impactful climate solutions.
