The world´s leading industrialized nations this week reaffirmed their support for the IAEA and its contribution to sustainable development, climate change and nuclear non-proliferation. In a meeting ending today in L´Aquila, Italy, heads of state from the Group of Eight agreed to "seek to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the technology, expertise, authority and resources needed to fulfil its vital statutory responsibilities."
The group highlighted the Agency´s leading role in the international nuclear non-proliferation regime while noting that nuclear power can potentially ease concerns about climate change and energy security.
In a Statement on Non-Proliferation, the G8 leaders called for the universal adoption of IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreements and the related Additional Protocol. They also praised the Agency´s efforts to explore multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle, including assurances of nuclear fuel supply, while encouraging the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group to adopt more stringent restrictions on the sale of uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technologies.
The leaders called on Iran to assist IAEA investigators as they work to understand the complete nature of the nation´s nuclear history and future plans.
"We recognise that Iran has the right to a civilian nuclear programme, but that comes with the responsibility to restore confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear activities. We strongly urge Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA and to comply with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, without further delay," the leaders wrote in a statement on the Responsible Leadership for a Sustainable Future.
The leaders also agreed on a goal to limit global temperature increases to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The group recognized that nuclear power could contribute to that goal.
"We witness that a growing number of countries have expressed interest in nuclear power programmes as a means to address climate change and energy security concerns. In the opinion of these countries, nuclear energy can play an essential role, as it meets the dual challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering fossil-fuel consumption," the leaders said in the statement on a sustainable future.
"We reaffirm that the fundamental prerequisite for the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the international commitment to safeguards/non-proliferation, safety and security. In close collaboration with the IAEA, we will continue to promote the development and implementation of robust international treaties, standards, recommendations, and monitoring procedures both at international and national levels."
Background
The members of the Group of Eight, or G8, are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The eight members meet once a year at Heads of State and Government level with a view to finding solutions to the main world issues.