The International Conference on Climate Change & the Role of Nuclear Power will take place from 7-11 October 2019, in Vienna (Austria). It is organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).

The conference will provide an opportunity to discuss mainstreaming nuclear power as a low-carbon energy source and its role in combating climate change.

Purpose and themes

The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for the exchange of information on the role of nuclear power, and on the opportunities and challenges of safe, secure and safeguarded nuclear technology development in supporting the low carbon energy transformation needed to achieve the climate change goals.

The conference themes include a description of the mitigation challenge, implications for the power sector, environmental perspectives, and potential roles of existing, evolutionary and innovative nuclear power systems, including the integration of nuclear/renewable energy systems.

Target audience

The IAEA seeks to bring together member states, representatives of relevant low-carbon energy sectors, international organisations, and other parties.

Topics

The IAEA welcomes high-quality contributions that fall under the umbrella of the six topics listed below:

• Advancing energy policies that achieve the climate change goals:

  – How nuclear power can contribute when planning for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) updates

• The increasing contribution of nuclear power in the mitigation of climate change, including synergies with other low-carbon power generation sources:

  – Challenges and opportunities for existing nuclear power plants with respect to the continuous contribution to the avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

  – How nuclear power can add a large volume of sustainable clean energy for electricity generation and non-electric applications, including through integration into hybrid energy systems

  – Synergies between nuclear power and other low carbon energy sources

• Development and deployment of advanced nuclear power technologies to increase the use of low-carbon energy:

  – Challenges associated with the rapid introduction of new nuclear power technologies into the market, and the implementation of effective regulatory processes

  – How to reduce GHGs in each stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, from front end to back end

• Shaping the future of the nuclear industry in regulated and deregulated energy markets to address climate change:

  – How to ensure the availability of resources, including attracting finance and ensuring competitiveness of new nuclear power projects

• Enhancing international cooperation and partnership in nuclear power deployment:

  – How to facilitate and foster development and deployment of nuclear power technologies through international cooperation and partnerships, including with organisations and partners of other low carbon technologies

• Public and non-nuclear stakeholders’ perception of the role of nuclear power in climate change mitigation:

  – How to engage with the public and open effective channels of communication with other stakeholders in the field of energy, environment and climate change