ENS Welcomes The Nuclear Alliance Declaration
European Nuclear Society together with its High Scientific Council truly welcomes today’s recognition by sixteen European countries on the importance of nuclear technology and science for resilient and independent Europe.
Yesterday’s statement of ministers from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy (as Observer), and the United Kingdom marks an important step towards the development of nuclear technology for safe and strong Europe.
As a scientific society of 12.000 nuclear experts, representing academia, research institutes and industry, we strongly support the European “nuclear alliance”. We are convinced that the Net Zero targets are only achievable with all low-carbon technologies, where renewables are complemented by nuclear. Yesterday’s declaration confirms nuclear is a strategic technology and we call for implementing important measures that are needed to reach the EU vital targets and recovery.
As stated by the ENS High Scientific Council:
We believe that it is important for policy makers and the wider public to be aware the decarbonisation of electricity generation is the easiest step with the highest initial GHG-reduction-to-cost ratio, it is accessible with existing technologies, and it will make the decarbonisation of other sectors easier. Where new hydroelectric power schemes are impossible in most developed countries, nuclear power and non-hydro renewable solar and wind power, are the only proven existing technologies available to decarbonise electricity generation.
In this regard the decarbonisation and at the same time the technological leadership of the EU could be achieved by doubling the EU budget for innovation projects and tripling the EURATOM budget for nuclear fission. The Nuclear Alliance meeting of fifteen EU member states and the UK highlights nuclear as a strategic technology which requires rapid economic incentives for research and deployment.