Full Title: A Socially Sustainable Future for Nuclear Energy in Emerging Markets
Author(s): Kenton de Kirby, Jessica Lovering
Publisher(s): The Breakthrough Institute
Publication Date: March 23, 2021
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Description (excerpt):
There is a growing expert consensus that scaling up nuclear energy is a promising path to creating a global energy system that supports high universal living standards and yields meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This is especially critical in emerging markets, where almost all (about 95 percent) of the increase in the world’s energy demand through 2035 will originate. Consistent with this need for abundant energy, a mini-renaissance has taken place of planned nuclear power plants across emerging markets. As of this writing, more than 30 “nuclear newcomer” countries have devised concrete plans to develop nuclear capacity in the next decade, and over 20 more have expressed serious interest in the technology. A socially sustainable future for nuclear power in emerging markets will require successful public engagement. The history of international anti-nuclear movements attests to the importance of gaining public trust and furnishes plentiful instances of organized opposition contributing to the closure of nuclear plants and projects. Indeed, activism has played a significant role in the decision of many OECD countries to abandon their plans to deploy nuclear energy.
Our research was motivated by the following question: Does contemporary anti-nuclear activism in emerging markets mirror the ideological opposition among historical anti-nuclear movements in the high-income countries, or is opposition based more on the interests of local communities?