18 September 2009
Scientific Forum on Energy for Development Convenes during IAEA General Conference
story highlights

17 September 2009: A special scientific forum on “Energy for Development” took place from 15-16 September 2009, during the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 53rd General Conference, held from 14-18 September 2009, in Vienna, Austria.

The Forum discussed a proposal launched by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to establish a global organization that focuses solely […]

© IAEA17 September 2009: A special scientific forum on “Energy for Development” took place from 15-16 September 2009, during the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 53rd General Conference, held from 14-18 September 2009, in Vienna, Austria.

The Forum discussed a proposal launched by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to establish a global organization that focuses solely on finding sustainable solutions for the interlinked network of challenges surrounding energy poverty, economic development and climate change.
The proposed institution could foster energy planning, technology transfer, research on technologies to serve the energy needs of the poor, energy technological cooperation, and development; monitor policy and programme implementation; and negotiate internationally binding legal agreements to ensure stable, environmentally sustainable and universally accessible modern energy services. The forum further discussed the nexus between energy, sustainable development and poverty reduction, focusing specifically on energy poverty and access issues. In examining climate change impacts, the Forum highlighted that developing countries are most vulnerable, and their best defense is development, which in turn requires increased access to energy. Concerning energy supply, talks highlighted: challenges in overcoming the limited capacity of current renewables; the acknowledgement that fossil fuels will continue to be the most significant source of energy in coming decades; and that as a result of advancements in safety and economic viability, nuclear power use is due to increase in the near future. [IAEA press release][Scientific Forum website][Forum’s Report to the General Conference]