Word from the President

European Nuclear Society
e-news Issue 47 Winter 2015
http://www.euronuclear.org/e-news/e-news-47/presidents-contribution.htm

Word from the President

In December 2015, a European country, France, will host the twenty first ‘Conference of the Parties on Climate Change.’ This event, now commonly referred to as COP 21, has given rise to the ambitious hope that the 192 participating heads of states, or their representatives in Paris Le Bourget, will reach a worldwide climate agreement. With its wide-reaching scope and the number of signatories involved, such an agreement should increase the dynamics started by the Kyoto Protocol that was signed in 1992.

Nuclear energy must be present at such an important event for a number of reasons, which our readers will easily recognize:

Electricity generation is an important contributor to CO₂ emissions. 40% of CO₂ emissions emitted by the energy sector are due to electricity generation.
Today, 70% of the world’s electricity comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuel generation is increasing more than any other technology. Scientists such as those on the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have repeatedly stated that at least 80% of the world’s electricity must be low-carbon by 2050 to keep global warming within a maximum increase of 2°C. This is a big challenge.
Nuclear energy is a carbon-free electricity generation technology. It is part of the solution to the important problems generated by climate change.
A country has the right to choose nuclear in order to reduce CO₂ emissions provided it maintains the high standards of safety promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Noel Camarcat

Nuclear energy must be represented at COP 21, but it should not overdo it. Let me recall the motto coined by some NGO’s after our strong campaign for nuclear energy in the nineties: “Don’t nuke the climate”. This is why we must remain active, discreet and efficient at COP 21 in December. Many events will be organized by our member societies in Europe during the conference, as well as by our sister nuclear societies and organizations active on other continents. I hope that our readers will support and participate in these events, so that nuclear energy can be perceived in a non-aggressive way as a vital part of the solution.

Noël Camarcat
President of ENS