Can nuclear energy fuel our future?

The text asserts that nuclear energy is essential for meeting the growing electricity demands of emerging economies, particularly China, India, and Russia, as renewables and natural gas alone are insufficient. It identifies high upfront costs, long construction times, and public safety concerns as primary barriers. To mitigate proliferation risks, the authors propose a global consensus on managing nuclear fuels, potentially through a multinational company that leases fuel and recovers spent materials, though they note this requires geopolitical stability in regions like Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

• Electricity demand is growing significantly faster in emerging economies (5% to 6% annually) than in developed economies (1% or less), and this demand cannot be met solely by natural gas or renewable energy sources.
• Future growth in nuclear power capacity is expected to be driven primarily by emerging countries, specifically China, India, and Russia, with South Korea being the only OECD country expected to see notable expansion.
• The expansion of nuclear power is hindered by high initial investment costs, long construction periods, market and regulatory risks, and public concerns regarding plant safety, radioactive waste disposal, and nuclear weapons proliferation.
• To prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the authors suggest a global agreement to control nuclear fuels like uranium-235 and plutonium-239, possibly via a multinational company that leases fuel and ensures the safe return of spent materials.

APA

Birol, F., & Sarkissian, A. (2014). Can nuclear energy fuel our future? World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/can-nuclear-energy-fuel-our-future/

Chicago

Birol, Fatih, and Armen Sarkissian. Can nuclear energy fuel our future? World Economic Forum, 2014. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/can-nuclear-energy-fuel-our-future/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Birol |first1=Fatih |last2=Sarkissian |first2=Armen |title=Can nuclear energy fuel our future? |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=10 November 2014 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/can-nuclear-energy-fuel-our-future/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{birol2014can, author = {Birol, Fatih and Sarkissian, Armen}, title = {{Can nuclear energy fuel our future?}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/can-nuclear-energy-fuel-our-future/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }