The first-ever nuclear energy summit, co-organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Belgium, will take place in Brussels in March next year, the IAEA announced on Wednesday.
It will be co-chaired by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
The summit is scheduled for 21 and 22 March, and will be the highest-level meeting ever devoted exclusively to nuclear energy, which is attracting growing interest from many countries as it can both help reduce fossil fuel consumption and meet the growing demand for low-carbon electricity, the autonomous UN agency said.
"More and more countries are considering either introducing nuclear power into their energy mix or expanding existing nuclear power programmes. We have seen a clear positive shift in recent years, with a growing awareness that nuclear energy is an indispensable part of the solution to some of the most pressing global challenges of our time," Grossi stated in a press release.
"The nuclear energy summit will highlight this new impetus for nuclear energy and will also provide a high-level forum for presenting solutions to some of the problems facing the sector to realise its full potential, including from an industrial point of view," added the CEO. "In this respect, it will also be an opportunity to forge closer links between political and industrial leaders, which is of paramount importance for the future of nuclear energy."
The first Nuclear Energy Summit with Heads of State and Governments is coming up next year in Brussels. Organized by @IAEAorg and Belgium, this is the highest-level event on nuclear energy yet. Honored to co-chair with @alexanderdecroo. 🔗 https://t.co/7Lb1LE68BV pic.twitter.com/XBjZTYWPqQ
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) October 11, 2023
"The European energy landscape has changed profoundly. We need to rapidly reduce our use of fossil fuels. This goes hand in hand with the fight against global warming, the consequences of which have never been so visible," Prime Minister De Croo stated.
"The urgency calls for a determined and balanced response. Alongside major investments in renewable energies and hydrogen production, nuclear energy and technology can be part of the solution to power our industrial future."
Some 30 countries are expected to attend the summit, including industry leaders, think tanks, experts and representatives of civil society.
