INF Position Paper on
Nuclear Energy and the Kyoto Mechanisms

During the negotiations on the Chairman’s text on the Mechanisms in Lyon, several Parties have expressed opposition to nuclear technology projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The International Nuclear Forum, INF, fears that the exclusion of any technology to the CDM will be to the detriment of the very countries that stand to gain from the investments that the CDM will bring.

The INF has listened with interest to the opinions of these groups and hopes that the following note serves to draw attention to the importance of nuclear technologies in connection to the Clean Development Mechanism.

CDM

The CDM is intended to enhance project activities that control, limit or avoid the emissions of greenhouse gases and provide for sustainable development for those Parties not included in Annex I. The Certified Emission Reduction provides an economic incentive to select the project that contributes to the greatest emissions reduction: however, the economics of the project investment will vary on a case-by-case (country-by-country) basis.

To benefit both the non-Annex I Parties and the overall objective of the Convention, thousands upon thousands of CDM projects will be required and the framework under which the projects will be authorised must be agreed, together with any other cross cutting issues. How the role of the Executive Board is ultimately defined will be crucial to the efficient and effective flow of projects to the non-Annex I countries.

Finally, and most importantly, project activity should not be limited by way of CDM project lists. All technology options may be required and therefore all options should be available.

Project Activities

Project activities under the CDM must comply with the requirements of sustainable development of the non-Annex I country involved. These requirements can only be determined at domestic level, where a full understanding of capacity building and technology needs is understood.

World-wide however, a broad spectrum of CDM project activities will help ensure the global equity of the investments, as different types of project will be better suited to some countries than others.

Both small-scale and large-scale projects will have an essential role in the development of the country’s infrastructure and both small and large projects should be valid for CDM eligibility.

Sovereign rights

Countries have a right to determine their own development paths and such decisions should not be restricted by any international policy. Hence, in the instance of the CDM, project eligibility must be determined by the non-Annex I country as the recipient of the CDM project investment.

Nuclear projects

Nuclear technology offers a broad range of projects that can enable countries to limit their greenhouse gas emissions and also in some adaptation activities that may be necessary as the effects of climate change are realised.

On emissions avoidance, nuclear generated electricity provides large scale, baseload supply necessary to support energy intensive industries and the day to day domestic activities that are taken for granted. It has proven to be a cost-effective technology in the long run in adapted and well-suited places, providing the host country with many environmental and social advantages.

Additionally, an evolution of new types of reactors for example the EPR and the AP600 are being developed and the prospect for smaller scale nuclear generation is on the horizon: the modular reactor that can consist of a series of one to ten generating units. This could provide a more flexible generating capacity that can fit local grid conditions and will require shorter construction lead times.

Nuclear technologies, in the broader sense, are today used for adaptation to environmental changes. Nuclear science has been applied to socio-economic benefits in food and agriculture over the last 50 years or more and has in this way played an indispensable role in improving global food security. The transfer of nuclear technology will also involve capacity building like professional training and improvement of infrastructure.