Part 1 of 2 Parts
      Rafael Mariano Grossi is the Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He delivered an opening speech to the sixty sixth IAEA general conference held recently in Vienna, Austria. He announced that this is the second successive year that the IAEA has revised its annual projection. Last year’s upward revision was the first since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011. This year’s figure shows that “we are at a defining moment in the world’s transition to a more secure, stable and affordable energy future,” Grossi said. He also said that he hopes to continue detailed talks with Ukraine and Russia about a safety and security zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Here are some excerpts from his speech.
Future Nuclear Capacity
“Today the 430 nuclear power reactors operating in 32 countries provide approximately 386 gigawatts of installed capacity, supplying some 10% of the world’s electricity and around a quarter of all low-carbon electricity. There are 57 reactors under construction in 18 countries; these are expected to provide about 59 gigawatts of additional capacity. Taking into account the increased interest in nuclear power across the world, the IAEA has revised upwards by 10% its high-case projection for the capacity growth in nuclear power generation up to the year 2050. This projection sees capacity more than doubling to 873 gigawatts. A number of challenges would need to be addressed to achieve this increase, including regulatory and industrial harmonization and progress in high-level waste disposal.”
Zaporizhzhia Safety Zone
      “I have called for the urgent establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone to stop shelling damaging the plant and its crucial offsite power supply. Last week I held high-level meetings in New York where this proposal received strong international support. I have begun detailed talks with Ukraine and the Russian Federation aimed at agreeing and implementing the zone as soon as possible. We know what needs to be done. It is possible. I am ready to continue consultations in both countries this week so that we can protect this plant.”
Covid Pandemic
     “Since early 2020, the IAEA has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. Its emergency response to the pandemic has been the biggest in the Agency’s history. We have sent equipment and materials to 306 laboratories in 130 countries. As we hope this pandemic nears its end, we must be ready for the next one. Member States have embraced and are actively participating in the IAEA Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action, established to integrate nuclear and related techniques into efforts to monitor and respond to outbreaks of zoonotic disease, and to enhance global preparedness for future pandemics.”
Healthcare
     “The global gap in cancer care continues to grow. Half of Africa’s countries lack even a single life-saving radiotherapy machine; 70% of the African population do not have access to radiotherapy. In Latin America, where I come from, and in some parts of Asia, people die of preventable and curable forms of cancer. That is why, this year in Addis Ababa we launched Rays of Hope, stepping up our commitment and galvanizing the international community to address this silent killer … Rays of Hope is raising hopes. More than 20 Member States have already requested assistance through the initiative, which will help countries provide access to life-saving radiotherapy treatment, strengthen radiation safety legislation and infrastructure, and provide quality control, guidance, training and equipment.”
Please read Part 2 next