Nuclear power needed for climate change: IAEA director

By Huseyin Erdogan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Nuclear power is vital in fighting against climate change, said Yukiya Amano,director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking at the World Energy Congress in Istanbul, of which Anadolu Agency is the global communications partner for 2016, Amano said there was a significant increase in the global use of nuclear power.

"We believe, without nuclear power, it is very unlikely that the international community can achieve the objective of of an increase of less than 2 degrees [Celsius] in global temperature levels," said Amano.

He said many people had believed the Fukushima incident in March 2011 signaled the end of nuclear power usage.

“But the last five to six years have shown that this was not the case," he said.

There are 450 nuclear power plants in operation and 60 are under construction in the world at the moment, with about 30 countries operating them, Amano said.

Thirty more countries were seriously considering embarking on nuclear power including developing countries, according to Amano. Next year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also planned to connect its first nuclear power plant to the grid.

"We should analyze the benefits and risks of nuclear power in an objective and factual manner. Developing countries should be given access to nuclear power," Amano concluded.

Nuclear power currently produces 11 percent of global electricity.