The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will attend COP26 and highlight how nuclear technology and applications contribute to tackling climate change. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will lead a delegation of experts at COP26 to engage in discussions and foster an informed debate on the benefits of nuclear science and technology, including nuclear power, in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and monitoring.
Nuclear energy provides 10% of the world’s electricity, representing more than a quarter of global low carbon electricity. Nuclear techniques also help to cope with the consequences of climate change, adapt to it and better understand its causes and effects.
The IAEA is organising or participating in several COP26 events, for example:
Action Hub Event #Atoms4Climate: From the Energy Crisis to Better Crops, How Can Nuclear Help Meet the Climate Challenges? The climate crisis meets an energy supply crisis. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Gillian Tett, author and Financial Times US editor-at-large, discuss whether and how the world can manage to overcome both. Will evidence-based thinking or ideology decide the energy mix of the future? Is nuclear energy about to have its next renaissance? Can nuclear science help us adapt to the consequences of climate change, whether by allowing farmers to breed hardier crops or communities to manage scarce water resources?
4 November, 10:00 – 10:30 (GMT/UK Time) Details
Nuclear Innovation for a Net Zero World: Experts and high-level stakeholders will discuss the complementary role of nuclear power and renewables in the transition towards a carbon-neutral future. They will explore how international cooperation can help in the transition to net-zero.
4 November, 15:50 (GMT/UK Time) Details
Net Zero World: The Youth Perspective Today and The Future: The event’s two parts, Nuclear Energy – Youth & Net Zero and Nuclear Energy – Net Zero Beyond 2050, will consider the role of youth in the net-zero transition and the best ways to attract the young generation to nuclear science and technology including fusion research and innovation. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will present the IAEA Net Zero Challenge winner with a certificate.
5 November, 12:00 (GMT/UK Time) Details
Contribution of Nuclear Science and Technology to Climate Change Adaptation: The first part of this event will focus on the role of nuclear science and technology in climate smart agriculture and overall climate adaptation. The second part will present the Blue Carbon initiative and the IAEA’s work on ocean acidification.
6 November, 15:45 (GMT/UK Time) Details
Nuclear Sciences in Climate Studies: Fingerprinting Precipitation Origins Using Isotope Tracers: The IAEA and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) will highlight the precision techniques nuclear sciences offer to climate studies. The event will showcase the power of isotopes in evaluating the impact of climate change on water resources and water related infrastructures.
9 November, 13:00 – 14:00 (GMT/UK Time) Details
More events involving the IAEA are listed on the COP26 events page.
IAEA media team contacts
IAEA experts in climate change mitigation, adaptation and monitoring will be available for interviews at COP26.
For interview requests and other media related questions, please get in touch Fredrik Dahl, IAEA Spokesperson, at Fredrik.dahl@iaea.org and copy press@iaea.org or 0043 699 165 21 275.
For questions on video footage or similar queries, please reach out to Katy Laffan, Multimedia Producer, at K.Laffan@iaea.org and copy press@iaea.org or 0043 699 165 22 446.
Registration:
Most of our events will be accessible via livestream on www.iaea.org without registration. The Action Hub event will be accessible via the UNFCCC webcast page.
To attend our events in person, you must register for COP26. For media accreditation and all other details concerning the attendance of COP26, please contact the UNFCCC media relations office. Please be aware that the IAEA cannot assist with accreditation to COP26.
If you have obtained COP26 accreditation and would like to attend one of our events physically, please notify us in advance by sending an e-mail to press@iaea.org.
Media package
B-Roll Video footage on nuclear power and application to tackle climate change:
IAEA Climate Action B-roll - iaea (wistia.com)
Still images on nuclear science, technology and applications to tackle climate change:
IAEA Climate Action Album (flickr.com).
The IAEA will produce images from COP26 and post on flickr on a daily basis.
This material is free to use under the copyright provisions of the IAEA Terms of Use. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
IAEA Reports and background information
Solutions for Climate Change: the IAEA and CoP26
IAEA Events at CoP26
Nuclear Energy for a Net Zero World
IAEA Report, September 2021
Report (pdf)
Press Release
Web Story
Nuclear Science and Technology for Climate Adaptation and Resilience
IAEA Report, September 2021
Report (pdf)
Press Release
Interview with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: Nuclear and Climate: a Pre-CoP26 Interview
Studying climate change with nuclear and isotopic techniques
Please also have a look at the IAEA’s videos, explainer stories and a wealth of other resources on climate change on the IAEA website.