NEA, IAEA plan public discussions during Paris climate-change conference

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said late last week that they will hold side events during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), starting Nov. 30 in Paris.

A panel of NEA and IAEA representatives and environmental journalist Michael Shellenberger will discuss the implications of nuclear energy in relation to climate-change mitigation. NEA representatives include Jaejoo Ha, Henri Paillere and Jan Keppler. The IAEA will be represented by David Shropshire and Loreta Stankeviciute.

The events will take place Thursday and Friday, Dec. 10 and 11, the former happening 1:15-2:45 p.m. local time and the latter between 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. at the OECD Workspace, Blue Zone, at Le Bourget (Hall 3, Plot 7).
 
The NEA said nuclear generation produces approximately 11 percent of global electricity and serves as the second-largest carbon-free energy source. The International Energy Agency said nuclear production would need to rise to 17 percent of global electricity generation by 2050 to limit average global temperature increases to two degrees Celsius.

The NEA said 40 percent of global carbon emissions can be attributed to global electricity production through fossil fuel-powered generation.