At the COP28 climate conference held in Dubai over the weekend, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala addressed one of the paramount challenges of our era: climate change. Emphasizing the urgency of addressing this global crisis, Fiala articulated his belief that nuclear energy could play a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

In his opening statements, Prime Minister Fiala underscored the universal impact of climate change while noting the disproportionate dangers faced by certain regions, exemplifying his concern with the water shortages he witnessed during a recent trip to Africa. Fiala’s recognition of the urgency to act against climate change was further manifested in the Czech Republic’s commitment to allocate up to $4 million (approximately CZK 90 million) by 2027 to the Green Climate Fund. This financial support aims to assist developing nations in confronting and adapting to the adverse effects of climate change.

Affirming the Czech Republic’s alignment with global climate objectives, Fiala assured summit participants of the nation’s support for the Paris climate agreement and the European Union’s ambitious climate goals, including achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

Crucially, Prime Minister Fiala defended the use of nuclear energy as an indispensable component of the broader strategy to address climate change. Characterizing nuclear energy as both reliable and clean, Fiala stressed the necessity of developing a new generation of modular reactors. Prior to his attendance at COP28, Fiala had expressed the Czech Republic’s backing for a declaration proposing the tripling of the world’s nuclear capacity by 2050—an initiative supported by 21 countries, including France, the United States, and Britain.

Fiala concluded his speech by positing that a global nuclear renaissance holds the potential to be an effective solution to the myriad challenges the world faces. As world leaders convene at COP28 to deliberate on strategies to avert catastrophic consequences of global warming, Prime Minister Fiala’s advocacy for nuclear energy injects a distinctive perspective into the discourse on combating climate change on an international scale.

Article by Prague Forum