In cooperation with the IAEA, OECDNEA, the Emirati Ministry of Energy, and FANR, Abu Dhabi will host the 21st Century International Ministerial Conference for Nuclear Energy from 30th October to the 1st November 2017.
Website: https://www.iaea.org/events/nuclear-power-conference-2017
500 international experts from member countries at the IAEA, in addition to representatives from different nuclear energy associations will attend the conference. The event will be held in A’ Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi and consist of four main discussion sessions, where speakers will exchange opinions and solutions. Each session will be followed by a Q and A session. The conference will also consist of two presentations about “Women’s Role in Nuclear Energy Field” and “Investment in Nuclear Energy Technology.”
The conference is considered a great opportunity for international expertise and stakeholders who are interested in the nuclear sector to meet and exchange experiences and to share the latest updates about international nuclear markets. It also provides cooperation opportunities between public and private sectors for sustainable development.
The conference will consist of:
- A plenary session at which national statements will be delivered;
- Two special presentations on innovative ideas from world renowned personalities;
- Four panel sessions with a keynote speech followed by round-table discussions among internationally recognized experts; and
- Side events featuring senior officials from the conference organizers and the host country.
Ministerial level participants are invited to deliver brief national statements related to nuclear power, discussing for example, their countries’ energy strategy and vision for the role of nuclear power, challenges for introducing, maintaining or expanding nuclear power and expectations for the international community.
During two special presentations, prominent speakers will discuss two key issues for sustainable development of nuclear power in the world: facilitating investment in nuclear power technology and increasing the participation of women in the global nuclear workforce.
The panel sessions are envisaged to cover the following major topics:
- Nuclear power as a key to solving the ‘3E’s trilemma’
This session will examine the role of nuclear power in mitigating climate change as an option in a sustainable energy mix under different national conditions and as a driver for sustainable development. It will include discussions on energy, socioeconomic, environmental and sustainable development issues, and the potential role of nuclear energy in helping parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meet their commitments.
- Challenges in developing nuclear power infrastructure
This session will focus on challenges in developing strong nuclear power infrastructure, including financing and public acceptance for a nuclear power programme. It will highlight current interest in nuclear power, especially in newcomer and expanding countries, with an emphasis on the IAEA’s Milestones approach, and the fact that embarking on or reviving a viable nuclear power programme requires a sound nuclear power infrastructure with a large variety of competencies. It will also discuss the importance of informed decision-making when considering a nuclear power programme, including governmental commitment to the required long term national and international obligations, for a country to effectively move forward to other phases of its nuclear power programme preparation and implementation process. In addition, the session will discuss the potential innovative models being explored to finance nuclear power programmes as well as public perception constraints. This session will also discuss investor’s point of view for nuclear power development.
- Safety and reliability aspects of nuclear energy
This session will discuss how to ensure a high level of safety, security and non-proliferation in dealing with challenges such as the expansion of nuclear power in the world, long term operation of NPPs and a variety of innovative technologies. Also, international efforts related to the development of regulatory requirements and framework for small modular reactors will be shared for discussion. The session aims to stress that the development of a nuclear power programme is a national responsibility and that the long-term commitment involved requires upfront investment in the nuclear safety infrastructure. In particular, the responsibilities of the government have to be addressed early in the development phases to establish the appropriate governmental, legal and regulatory framework.
- Innovations and advances in nuclear technologies
This session will highlight new developments/changes in various areas related to nuclear power. The specific needs which nuclear power is expected to fulfil are diversifying from electricity production alone at large-scale NPPs to a wide range of uses and output capacities in countries with diverse levels of economic development. The session will also discuss what kinds of innovative nuclear technologies are necessary to adapt to diverse energy needs and purposes as well as the international cooperation that is required to develop capacity for sustainable management of nuclear power in a growing number of countries.
