Young climate activists rally as world leaders gathered in Brussels for a historic nuclear energy summit.
March 21st, 2024 marked a significant milestone in the global energy landscape as world leaders convened in Brussels for the world's first Nuclear Energy Summit to discuss accelerating deployment of new nuclear generation.
Against the backdrop of urgent climate concerns and persistent energy poverty, WePlanet delivered a joint statement signed by over 50 civil society organisations to Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), advocating for a bold and ambitious plan to rapidly deploy new nuclear energy generation. The headline reads - CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS CALL ON WORLD LEADERS TO DEVELOP A GLOBAL MESSMER PLAN TO DELIVER THE EQUIVALENT OF 1200 LARGE REACTORS WORTH OF INSTALLED NUCLEAR CAPACITY BY 2050 Read the full statement here.
Outside the summit venue, a diverse coalition of young climate activists from Europe and North America rallied in support of nuclear energy. This included activists from - WePlanet, Stand Up for Nuclear Belgium Chapter, Stand up for Nuclear, Nuklearia, Comito Ragione, Atomkraft Ja Tak, 100TWh, Kern Voor Klimat, Mothers for Nuclear Germany.
Their messages resonated loudly: "Grow clean energy - build nuclear" and "Net Zero without nuclear is a fairytale." This sentiment encapsulates a growing recognition among environmentally conscious individuals that nuclear energy holds a crucial role in achieving global decarbonisation goals.
Young Climate Activist Ia Aanstoot was present to give a speech and lead the chants, "What do we want? Nuclear Power. When do we want it? Now!"
It's clear Greenpeace have spent a lot of time and resources planning their action opposing this summit which they could have put into fighting fossil fuels.
Last August Ia launched the Dear Greenpeace campaign with WePlanet to call on Greenpeace to stop opposing nuclear energy and focus their substantial resources on fighting fossil fuels.
Ia was disappointed to see Greenpeace on the wrong side once against fighting against clean nuclear energy.
It's clear Greenpeace has spent a lot of time and resources planning their action opposing this summit which they could have put into fighting fossil fuels. All of us could be elsewhere fighting fossil fuels if Greenpeace weren't here fighting nuclear energy, Ia Aanstoot said.
Eve of the summit
On the eve of the summit, members of WePlanet attended a youth forum at the Atomium in Brussels. The event was hosted by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, and moderated by Isabelle Boemeke, also known as the nuclear influencer ISODOPE.
It was a productive evening discussing the key role nuclear can play in providing a clean, prosperous future. But Ia and other WePlanet members were there to ask the hard questions.
What plans do world leaders have to actually deliver on their commitments to increasing nuclear and renewable energy?
Why had Belgium shutdown operational nuclear plants only to replace them with fossil gas?
There were positive statements from the hosts but it was clear that much more work needed to happen to save existing nuclear plants and get new projects moving to address climate change.
Ia said she appreciated Greens Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten showing an openness to extending nuclear plant licences & even potentially new nuclear.
It's not always easy to change your position, especially when it's so core to your identity.
Humans for a nuclear future
Organised by Isabelle Boemeke, humans for a nuclear future is a project aimed at bringing a human face to nuclear energy. In Brussels this involved a street mural showcasing faces of people from across the world who support the inclusion of nuclear energy to secure a clean, prosperous future for humanity.
It's testament to the hard work of countless activists over many years that this historic nuclear summit has taken place. Few people could foresee the dramatic shift in public opinion in favour of nuclear energy as part of the global clean energy transition to address climate change.
While the positive momentum is with pro-nuclear activists, there is still much work to be done to save existing nuclear plants and rapidly deploy new nuclear generation
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