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Keywords
Klimawirkung, Kernenergie, Atomstrom, Small Modular Reactor, Reaktorsicherheit
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3722 41 508 0
Research Indicator
Citation
Pistner, C., Englert, M., Gensch, C.-O., Harthan, R., Herold, A., Kopp, A., Liu, R., Loreck, C., Mendelevitch, R., Möller, M., Rausch, L., & Sutter, J. (2026). Climate and environmental impact of nuclear power. German Environment Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8212
Abstract english
The report assesses nuclear energy’s role in the transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It contrasts top-down net-zero pathways from five integrated assessment models with a comprehensive bottom-up review of national programmes, including newcomer countries, and benchmarks these against the COP28/29 pledge to triple nuclear capacity. It further analyses system requirements in renewables-dominated grids, climate-change risks to plant reliability, and a harmonised cradle-to-grave environmental footprint of nuclear power across 40 regional life-cycle chains (2020 and 2030). Severe-accident impacts and proliferation risks are discussed, and life-cycle costs and GHG abatement costs of new nuclear (incl. SMRs) are compared with wind and solar.
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Connected Publication
Climate and environmental impact of nuclear power
(2026)
The report assesses nuclear energy’s role in the transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It contrasts top-down net-zero pathways from five integrated assessment models with a comprehensive bottom-up review of national programmes, including newcomer countries, and benchmarks these against the COP28/29 pledge to triple nuclear capacity. It further analyses system requirements in renewables-dominated grids, climate-change risks to plant reliability, and a harmonised cradle-to-grave environmental footprint of nuclear power across 40 regional life-cycle chains (2020 and 2030). Severe-accident impacts and proliferation risks are discussed, and life-cycle costs and GHG abatement costs of new nuclear (incl. SMRs) are compared with wind and solar.