COP31: Campaigners Reject Nuclear Energy as Climate Solution

Campaigners at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) have rejected nuclear energy as a solution to the global energy and climate crisis.

The campaigners, who staged a protest at the Blue Zone of the COP31 venue in Antalya, Turkey, holding aloft placards and banners bearing messages such as “Nuclear is no solution,” called for increased investment in renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power.

Rachita Gupta, an activist with the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice, told TheCable that the push for more electrification is creating renewed pressure for nuclear energy to fill gaps in energy access.

Murat Kurum, COP31 president, is pushing the 35×35 electrification goal, which seeks to increase the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035. 

Gupta said nuclear power is being promoted despite the environmental and social consequences associated with uranium mining and nuclear waste.

“Most of this nuclear energy is being pushed on indigenous lands and it is our communities that are subjected to uranium mining and its devastating consequences,” she said.

She added that nuclear power is increasingly being promoted in countries like India and Japan, partly to provide electricity for energy-intensive industries such as artificial intelligence data centres.

Gupta added that the energy transition should instead prioritise renewable sources that can provide electricity to communities without reproducing what she described as the extractive model associated with fossil fuels.

“If there is a push for energy, the energy needs to be clean energy, renewable energy, and not a polluting energy like nuclear energy,” she added.

‘NUCLEAR REMAINS A WASTE PROBLEM’

Nuclear power plants are among the most capital-intensive energy projects to build. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said nuclear projects are difficult to finance because of their large scale, high upfront costs, long construction periods and technical complexity, with delays and cost overruns capable of significantly increasing the final bill. The agency said the long timelines can push the breakeven point for a new large reactor to 20 to 30 years after a project begins. 

Gabriel Manyangadze, climate justice coordinator at the Southern Africa Faith Communities’ Environment Institute, said nuclear energy is often presented as a solution without sufficient consideration of its long-term consequences.

Manyangadze said South Africa’s experience with nuclear power demonstrates some of the challenges associated with radioactive waste management.

He said the country has struggled with the disposal of radioactive waste, raising concerns about the potential impact on surrounding communities and water sources.

He also questioned whether communities living near nuclear facilities are adequately prepared to respond to accidents.

Manyangadze said civil society organisations in South Africa previously challenged the government’s nuclear expansion plans in court.

According to him, the court ruled in 2017 that a proposed nuclear procurement agreement was unconstitutional and unlawful.

Manyangadze added that African countries should instead take advantage of their abundant solar and wind resources.

“Nuclear is very, very expensive, especially for countries in Africa or for developing countries,” he said.

“We have the sun and we can actually build our energy around renewables, the sun and the wind.”

‘NUCLEAR CANNOT SOLVE AFRICA’S ENERGY CRISIS’

Amos Wemanya, senior climate advisor at PowerShift Africa, said nuclear power is not the most appropriate solution to Africa’s energy deficit because millions of people on the continent still lack access to electricity.

He said nuclear projects typically require lengthy planning, construction and large financial investments, making them unsuitable for addressing Africa’s immediate energy needs.

“Millions of Africans don’t have electricity. These people must have electricity,” Wemanya said.

He noted that scarce public resources should instead be directed towards technologies that can deliver electricity more quickly, particularly solar power.

Wemanya said the continent’s geography also makes decentralised renewable energy systems attractive because many communities live far from major electricity grids.

He said solar and other renewable technologies could provide power to such communities without requiring the huge infrastructure and investment associated with nuclear plants.

“Nuclear is expensive. It is not possible to invest in an energy system that is not tailored for our situation,” he said.

The campaigners urged governments and financial institutions at COP31 to increase funding for renewable energy and prioritise energy systems that can expand access to electricity while reducing environmental and social risks.