Role of IAEA in sustainable development of the nuclear industry

Demand for energy, in particular electricity, will continue to grow in the coming decades in order to satisfy the needs of an increasing world population. Nuclear power, currently contributing 17% of the total world electricity production, is one of the significant long term sources of electricity without negative impacts such as the green house effect and acid rain. Trends of privatization, deregulation of electricity markets and minimization of government support are promoting short term goals at the expense of potential long term benefits of developing advanced nuclear technologies, which can now be achieved only through international cooperation and pooling of resources both financial and human. The Agency's efforts will be focussed on the contribution of nuclear energy to sustainable development, with emphasis on measures directed to sage and economic development of nuclear power. The Agency will also continue to provide a forum for the review of information on the development of newly emerging and special purpose nuclear energy systems such as accelerator driven concepts and hybrid fusion/fission concepts, liquid metal reactors, thorium fueled reactors, ship propulsion and space nuclear power systems. Another important issue to be addressed is the comparative assessment of different options for development of the fuel cycle and the management of spent fuel and plutonium. There is an increasing interest in additional international measures to address issues related to the production, transport, storage and disposal of separated plutonium. This year, implementation of a new programme has commenced on the development and dissemination of databases and methodologies for comparative assessment of nuclear power and other energy sources in terms of their economic, health and environmental impacts. (author)