Nuclear power for sustainable development and relevant iaea activities for the future

The credible longer-term energy demand and supply analyses foresee a growing role for nuclear power for sustainable development. For instance the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows an increase between 2000 and 2050 by a factor of 2.5 in global primary energy and the installed nuclear capacity will increase by about a factor of 4–5 as a median value. The technologies for the nuclear energy are continuously improving towards the long-term goals of further improvements in economics, very high levels of safety, increased proliferation resistance, and successful implementation of solutions for radioactive waste disposal. By statute, the IAEA is authorized to encourage and assist the Member States efforts for the practical application of nuclear technology. The Agency's relevant activities are considered to contribute to assist the Member States to achieve their long term goals. This paper overviews the current status of nuclear power in the world, discusses its future prospects and describes the IAEA's activities to support its Member States in their efforts for nuclear programme for sustainable development.