The message was clear at the recent COP28 summit: Unity in our shared responsibility to protect our planet transcends all differences.
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As the world grapples with questions on our collective climate and energy future, Australia stands at a pivotal juncture. The path we choose now will shape our environmental legacy and the country we hand to our children.
Because of the importance of this for our domestic economy and access to international markets, I accepted an invitation from the Coalition for Conservation to attend COP28 and the Net Zero Nuclear Summit, both held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was a chance to meet with international counterparts to discuss the key challenges.
Climate change and the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 is a global mission.
Norway is leading the world in carbon capture and storage while the United Kingdom has slowed its move out of fossil fuels while accelerating a nuclear program.
Globally, 33 economies utilise nuclear power, with many contemplating its adoption. At COP28 we saw 22 nations pledge to triple nuclear energy production by 2050.
In Australia, our current energy strategy, almost singularly reliant on renewables, is veering off course from our peers.
While slowly decommissioning existing baseload power sources, Australia persists with an archaic ban on even the exploration of civil nuclear programs. This stance limits our energy options and contradicts our status as a significant uranium supplier and a nation benefiting from nuclear technology in medicine, and soon defence.
Nuclear energy is a proven ally in tackling emissions while maintaining the reliability provided by baseload power complementing the intermittent nature of renewables.
Crucially, it's a zero-emission source with a minimal environmental footprint, offering a commonsense solution to the challenge of sustainability.
The safety and efficiency of nuclear energy is unparalleled and often misunderstood. It is one of the fastest means to decarbonise an electricity grid.
This I saw first-hand when I visited Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the UAE. Consisting of four reactors (three operational, one in final testing phase), when fully operational, this facility will prevent 22 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year.
Australia's reluctance to embrace nuclear energy is increasingly incongruous in a world moving towards it. Our natural abundance of uranium positions us not just as a participant but as a potential leader in the global nuclear landscape.
Australia's energy future needs to address the climate and energy trilemma of affordability, security, and sustainability. This demands diversity in our energy mix, incorporating storage solutions, gas, carbon capture technologies, renewables, and crucially, nuclear energy.
- By Senator Perin Davey, deputy leader of The Nationals.
