Combating Climate Change with Nuclear Power
Introduction to the Committee
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the principal policy-making body of the UN. As all member states are part of this committee and have an equal vote, it provides a unique setting for multilateral discussions on issues that the international community faces. The General Assembly meets in regular sessions from September to December every year.
Introduction to the topic
Heat and electricity currently generate almost two-thirds of global CO2 emissions, leading to a surge of clean energy sources. Most of these are renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and hydropower. They create low emissions but also generate little electricity. A more efficient energy source, which has already been implemented for years, is nuclear energy. 10% of generated electricity comes from nuclear power plants, and this is set to increase in the coming years. But is this a step in the right direction?
Nuclear Power Plants
Discovered in the early 20th century, the process behind nuclear power has long been a controversial issue. And while the atomic bomb and Cold War may be the first to come to mind, nuclear power is no different. In fact, only 20 years after nuclear fission had been discovered, the USA had already found ways to produce electricity. Four years later, Calder Hall in England became the first nuclear power plant to be connected to the commercial power grid.
Nowadays, there are more than 400 operational power plants, with a further 150 already being planned. Of the many types of nuclear power generation in operation today, they all rely on atomic fission to function. Unstable isotopes, such as uranium and plutonium (specifically 235U and 239Pu), are bombarded with particles from prior fission reactions in this procedure. This unleashes a chain reaction which produces energy. The energy produced by these reactions is then harnessed to heat water, producing enough steam to power a large turbine, which is where the actual electricity is generated.
Because it is at its core a steam-based generator, the actual production of energy leads to very little to no emissions. When considering the entire life cycle, nuclear power plants generate fewer greenhouse gases than most renewable energy sources. In the US alone, nuclear energy prevents the equivalent of almost 100 million cars worth of CO2.
Issues
While the actual production of energy is relatively clean, there is an array of issues surrounding certain aspects. From an infrastructure perspective, power plants can be a large burden on a country. They are often very expensive up front, requiring massive plots of land and construction projects, as well as costing governments billions of dollars. This combination leads to large lag times between the planning and actual operation of the facility up to 20 years.
In addition to this, nuclear power plants require large amounts of Isotopes to operate. Fission reactors rely on Uranium and Plutonium, which means large-scale mining operations. These mining operations can be damaging for the workers, as many can develop lung cancer as a result of Radon gas in the mines.
Additionally, these Isotopes produce long-lasting radioactive byproducts which take millions of years to break down. This nuclear waste needs to be safely kept away from human contact in deep underground vaults or large containment pools, which lead to additional yearly costs, as well as contamination risks.
The current international outlook
As it stands, the UN has passed various treaties, most importantly the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These ensure the inalienable right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy while limiting the other harms which accompany it. Most importantly, the NPT strongly restricts the type and amount of research which can be conducted in the field of nuclear energy, limiting new technologies and instead promoting the improvement of preexisting tech.
While the aforementioned frameworks govern the general and fundamental boundaries of peaceful nuclear energy usage, it is important to remember that there are also some regional and multilateral frameworks, which have been set up to supervise the rules of civil purposes and cooperation in specific parts of the world. Examples include:
The Regional Cooperative Agreement (RCA), which provides Asian countries with a framework for research and development related to nuclear science and technology
The Cooperative Agreement for Arab States in Asia for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science Technology (ARASIA), which advanced the peaceful use of nuclear energy to improve crop yields on salt-affected soils
African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA), which helped improve agricultural health and safety standards.
These agreements and treaties are fundamental to the responsible development and use of nuclear power, especially as a means to fulfil multiple of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals created in 2015. Still, there are clear regional differences in opinion. While there are currently 55 operational power plants in China alone, there are only 5 total in South America. Make sure to keep these regional differences in mind while researching your country.
Important questions to tackle
How can we handle the transitional period between fossil fuel and green energy?
How will we solve the issue of radioactive waste management?
What can we do to make nuclear power more accessible to countries with low economic development?
Will there be other consequences to increased nuclear research?
Places to start
What is your country’s policy on nuclear power vs. other renewable energy sources?
Where does your country get their energy from?
What kind of policies are in place to limit greenhouse gas emissions?
How does your country collaborate with other countries, i.e. international agreements?
Interesting country suggestions
USA
France
Ukraine
China
India
Russia
Turkey
Egypt
Japan
Spain
Belgium
Switzerland
South Africa
Kenya
Ghana
