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Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation
The document provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear governance across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), categorising member states by their nuclear capacity and identifying gaps in regulatory synchronisation. It highlights the critical need for harmonised policies to manage the transport of uranium ore concentrate (UOC) and radioactive sources across borders. The author proposes leveraging the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the African Association of Competent Authorities (AACA) to create a more integrated regional safety and security architecture.
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Document type: Research paper
African Continental Nuclear Institutions: A Review
The report examines the governance of nuclear energy in Africa, focusing on the Treaty of Pelindaba and its implementation body, AFCONE, as well as the FNRBA and AFRA. It notes that while South Africa is the only country currently operating a nuclear power reactor, 16 other nations are exploring nuclear options for energy security and climate mitigation. The document highlights the importance of the IAEA's 'Milestones Approach' for infrastructure development and identifies critical challenges facing continental institutions, including limited funding, human resource shortages, and inconsistent member state cooperation. It recommends that all 55 African Union members ratify the Pelindaba Treaty and that AFCONE be further empowered with a predictable budget and increased staffing.
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Document type: Report
Letter on Clean Energy Tax Priorities Sept 2021
A coalition of organizations calls on the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee to implement a comprehensive clean energy tax framework. The proposal emphasizes the need for decade-long policy certainty and specific credits for emerging technologies—such as clean hydrogen, carbon capture, and sustainable aviation fuels—alongside the extension of credits for mature resources like wind, solar, and existing nuclear power to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
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Document type: Statement
The uk clean power plan
The briefing analyzes pathways from the Climate Change Committee (CCC), National Grid, and Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) to demonstrate that the UK power sector can be nearly fossil-free by 2035. It argues that phasing out unabated gas will reduce reliance on expensive imports, lower electricity bills, and stimulate a green industrial revolution. While the models differ on the roles of nuclear and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), they agree on the centrality of wind and solar power and the need for increased energy storage and hydrogen capacity.
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Document type: Briefing
International Involvement in the African Nuclear Market
The document examines the viability of nuclear energy in Africa, noting that the continent provides 14% of global uranium supply. It identifies Russia and China as leading international vendors due to their state-owned models and willingness to provide financing. The paper highlights significant barriers to deployment, including high costs, corruption, unstable electrical grids, and a lack of local expertise. It also discusses the potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to mitigate some of these infrastructure and financial challenges.
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Document type: Research paper
The Romanian Protest Wave: A Path to a New Political Era
The document traces a series of Romanian protest waves, starting with the 2013 Rosia Montana anti-mining movement and the 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire protests, which challenged government corruption and systemic failures. It argues that these movements helped citizens overcome a historical fear of state repression dating back to the 1990-1991 Mineriade, eventually leading to the rise of centre-right parties like USR and PLUS. The author notes that while these new parties adopted some green policies, the formal Green party in Romania remains weak due to the continued dominance of the Social Democrats (PSD) and internal organizational issues.
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Document type: Research paper
Bridging the Gap: How Nuclear-Derived Zero-Carbon Fuels Can Help Decarbonize Marine Shipping
The report examines the role of nuclear energy in producing zero-carbon fuels (ZCFs) to decarbonize the marine shipping industry, which accounted for 2.6% of global CO2 emissions in 2018. It identifies ammonia as a particularly promising fuel due to its energy density and compatibility with existing engine technology. The authors argue that nuclear energy is well-suited for ZCF production because of its high capacity factor, low land-use requirements, and ability to provide high-temperature steam for electrolysis. The document proposes using the U.S. Jones Act and other federal programs to incentivize the construction of ZCF-powered vessels and the development of regional production hubs, specifically suggesting the Houston region as a potential case study.
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Document type: Report
China’s power & steel firms continue to invest in coal even as emissions surge
Despite pledges for carbon neutrality, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce coal-based projects in early 2021. While CO2 emissions growth showed signs of cooling in the second quarter of 2021 due to government controls on financial excesses and industrial output, the volume of new coal projects remains high, risking the creation of stranded assets and undermining 2030 emission reduction targets.
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Document type: Briefing
即使排放激增放缓,中国电力和钢铁企业仍不断进行煤炭投资
Despite a slowdown in emission growth in Q2 2021, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce significant new coal-based capacity in the first half of the year. The report highlights a contradiction between economic growth driven by construction and decarbonization goals, noting that zero-emission power only met 30% of electricity demand growth between H1 2019 and H1 2021. While government measures to control fiscal overspending and industrial output led to a slowdown in CO2 emission growth in the second quarter, the continued announcement of coal-based projects risks creating stranded assets and hindering the transition to low-carbon technologies.
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Document type: Briefing
We need federal action, but not a blank check, to counter the premature retirement of nuclear plants
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for federal action to stop the premature closure of U.S. nuclear plants, which provide over half of the country's clean electricity. Since 2012, nine reactors (over 6 GW) have retired early due to market conditions and low natural gas and renewable prices, leading to increased regional emissions. CATF supports legislative options like the Zero-Emission Nuclear Power Production Credit Act of 2021 and the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA), provided they include 'guardrails' such as financial stress tests and reverse auctions to ensure support is limited to truly at-risk units.
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Document type: Statement
Atoms for Africa's Development: The Case for Nuclear Power Generation in Africa
The paper advocates for the adoption of nuclear power in Africa to combat energy poverty and meet climate goals, noting that nuclear energy is a zero-emission source with a high capacity factor. It addresses safety concerns by comparing death rates and highlighting new reactor designs, while suggesting that Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could mitigate high upfront costs and long construction times. The author emphasizes the need for robust national regulatory frameworks and international cooperation through bodies like the IAEA and FNRBA to ensure safety and security.
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Document type: Research paper
OUT WITH SCIENCE, IN WITH LOBBYISTS: Gas, Nuclear and the EU Taxonomy
The report examines how the EU sustainable taxonomy, originally designed to be science-based, has been influenced by industry lobbying to potentially include fossil gas and nuclear energy. It argues that gas is not a sustainable transition fuel due to methane leaks and carbon lock-in, and that nuclear energy fails the 'do no significant harm' (DNSH) principle due to waste and safety risks. The document details the scale of lobbying efforts, identifying hundreds of meetings between EU officials and industry representatives, and criticizes the EU Commission for deferring decisions on these technologies to future legislation and relying on flawed technical reports.
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Document type: Report
Marcel Boiteux and the Three Domains: Lessons from an Unexpected Encounter
The author uses the work of Marcel Boiteux and the 'three domains' framework to critique modern climate economics for neglecting the role of finance and the complexities of real-world implementation. By examining Boiteux's contributions to electricity pricing and the Ramsey-Boiteux rule, the text argues that economic analysis should serve as a 'negotiation language' to align technical efficiency with political goals and financial realities, particularly to bridge the gap between the 'North's' focus on carbon pricing and the 'South's' need for finance.
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Document type: Statement
Submission for CNSC hearings Jun. 10, 2021 on behalf of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
CAPE opposes the granting of a licence for the DNNP site, citing the lack of a chosen reactor design, the absence of historical data for small modular reactors (SMRs), and the high risks associated with locating nuclear facilities in densely populated areas near Lake Ontario. The submission highlights the failure to release the Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP) Technical Study and argues that the 2009 site licence application is obsolete due to population growth and climate change. CAPE advocates for a transition to renewable energy over untested SMR technology.
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Document type: Statement
Nuclear Science and Technology: Driving Africa’s Development
The document examines the role of nuclear science and technology in Africa, highlighting the use of 10 research reactors for education and medical/environmental research. It emphasizes the critical need for radiotherapy machines to combat rising cancer rates and the use of nuclear techniques in agriculture to ensure food security and manage zoonotic diseases. The brief outlines the legal framework for peaceful use, including the Pelindaba Treaty and the NPT, and identifies challenges such as public skepticism, financial instability, and safety risks. It recommends expanded continental training and continued cooperation with the IAEA and AFCONE.
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Document type: Policy brief
Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt
The document examines nuclear developments in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, noting that while all three operate research reactors for medical and industrial use, their ambitions for nuclear power plants vary. Egypt is the most advanced, currently constructing four reactors at Al Dabaa with Russian support. Algeria and Libya have expressed long-term interests in nuclear energy, though these remain largely discursive or stalled by political instability and cost. The author argues that these pursuits are often driven by 'techno-nationalist' prestige rather than purely economic or environmental needs, especially given the viability of solar energy and the region's water scarcity.
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Document type: Research paper
YOUTH SUBMISSION TO THE APRM IN SOUTH AFRICA 2020/2021
The document outlines systemic governance failures in South Africa from a youth perspective, highlighting exclusion from political decision-making, extreme economic inequality, and poor infrastructure in education and health. It argues that while progressive policies often exist on paper, implementation is slow and unsystematic, particularly regarding land reform, climate change transition, and youth employment. The submission recommends institutionalising youth quotas, expanding social protection through a basic income grant, and reforming the electoral system to allow independent candidates.
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Document type: Report
The EU sustainable taxonomy set to fuel greenwashing
Reclaim Finance asserts that the EU sustainable taxonomy's climate mitigation and adaptation criteria have been watered down due to pressure from Member states and industry lobbies. The author claims the current proposal allows for the burning of all forest biomass and creates pathways for fossil gas and nuclear energy to be labeled as sustainable, thereby undermining the EU Sustainable Finance Strategy and contradicting scientific research.
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Document type: Statement
La taxonomie durable de l’UE en passe d’alimenter le greenwashing
Reclaim Finance criticizes the European Commission's 2021 delegated acts for the EU sustainable taxonomy, claiming that political and industrial pressure has overridden scientific criteria. The author asserts that the current framework allows for greenwashing by adopting weak bioenergy standards and leaving the door open for fossil gas and nuclear energy, which the author argues are incompatible with the Paris Agreement goals.
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Document type: Statement
Potential Human Health Impacts Associated with Retirement of Nuclear Power Plants in Illinois
The report estimates that retiring four nuclear plants in Illinois would lead to 1,200 to 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages over ten years. Retiring two plants (Byron and Dresden) would result in 500 to 1,100 premature deaths and $4.4 to $10 billion in damages over the same period. These impacts are driven by increased PM2.5 emissions from fossil fuel plants used to offset the loss of zero-emission generation.
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Document type: Report