Arthur De Laborde (special correspondent in Dubai) / Photo credit: Ludovic MARIN / AFP
Around twenty countries gathered at COP28 in Dubai have declared themselves in favor of the return of nuclear power, and want its production to be multiplied by three by 2050. “Nuclear is a clean energy, it must be repeated”, insisted in particular Emmanuel Macron. The objective of this COP is to promote alternatives to fossil fuels.
Against coal, against methane, for nuclear power, for renewables. The countries gathered at COP28 in Dubai put the spotlight on the energy world of tomorrow. At the same time, there are painful negotiations on how to achieve a world without fossil fuels within a few decades.
“Nuclear energy is back.” In English, Emmanuel Macron spoke this Saturday morning in Dubai to proclaim the return of nuclear power. “Nuclear is a clean energy, it must be repeated,” insists the French president. “The reality is that we cannot achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 without nuclear power,” says the American envoy for the climate, John Kerry.
Triple nuclear and renewable energy
Long taboo at the COPs, the atom is therefore becoming trendy again. The meaning of this call launched by around twenty countries is to triple the production of nuclear energy in the next 27 years. The objective set is ambitious but this declaration in reality has no binding scope. This does not prevent criticism from many environmentalists who plead for a nuclear-free transition.
Another call, more consensual, was launched in parallel in Dubai, by 110 countries: it sets the objective of tripling the capacity of renewable energies in the world by 2030.