In Brussels, an international coalition of climate, environment and peace activists is campaigning against the international nuclear summit where 30 heads of state and government are meeting today to discuss the future of nuclear power. In response to the summit, activists are organising an alternative event of their own. "Politicians cloak themselves in green, while the nuclear energy undermines climate policy” opponents insist.
Nuclear summit in Brussels: 'Nuclear power is one of the biggest climate crimes' say critics
Colin Clapson
Published:
The Global Nuclear Energy Summit, the first international summit on nuclear energy, is a joint initiative of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal/Open VLD) and Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As part of the summit, delegations from dozens of countries are gathering at the Heizel in Brussels today.
The summit is one of the results of the recent climate summit, the COP28, held in Dubai, where nuclear energy was explicitly mentioned as an alternative, climate-friendly energy source. In an agreement, 20 countries committed themselves to tripling nuclear power by 2050.
While some 30 heads of state and government discuss how to make this happen, at the same time a few metres away a counter-demonstration by environmental and climate organisations is being staged to protest against nuclear energy. Protesters include activists from Greenpeace, environmental organisation Bond Beter Leefmilieu, the European Environmental Bureau, Don't Nuke the Climate and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.