BASE in Vienna: IAEA General Conference and World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024

Flag with the International Atomic Energy Agency logo Source: picture-alliance/ dpa/dpaweb | epa apa Schlager

The 68th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will take place in Vienna from 16 to 20 September. Delegations from all IAEA member states meet at the General Conference to discuss issues of nuclear safety, nuclear security and non-proliferation.

BASE will be represented by President Christian Kühn and the Head of the Research Department, Jochen Ahlswede, among others, and will exchange views with the international representatives.

BASE events at the General Conference

In addition, BASE organizes side events as part of the IAEA General Conference, where current topics can be discussed in greater depth:

• ‘Alternative Reactor Concepts and their Implications for Nuclear Waste Management: Insights from an Analysis of Seven “Gen IV” Concepts’
Monday, 16 September, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Conference Room CR3, Building C, 7th floor

Following an introduction by BASE President Christian Kühn, Dr Christoph Pistner (Öko Institut) and Prof. Dr Christian von Hirschhausen (TU Berlin) will present the BASE study on novel reactor concepts to an international audience for the first time. The study was published in March and addresses the potential and challenges new reactor concepts present for nuclear waste management. The aim is to make a science-based contribution to the global debate on novel reactor concepts and, in particular, to address the risks and disposal issues at an early stage.

• ‘Emergency Preparedness and Waste Management after the Phase-Out: Tackling Challenges to Nuclear Safety at Home and Abroad’
Tuesday, 17 September from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Conference Room M5, Building M, Ground Floor

The second side event is a joint initiative of BASE and the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Mr Kühn and BfS President Inge Paulini will open the event. Jochen Ahlswede and Florian Gering, Head of Department for Radiological Accident Management at BfS, will then present a concise overview of Germany's challenges and measures following the nuclear phase-out. Germany will remain a key international player in the field of nuclear safety even after the 2023 nuclear phase-out. The potential and challenges of cross-border cooperation in the areas of accident management and nuclear waste disposal will be discussed with representatives of foreign authorities.

Publication of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024

The IAEA General Conference will also play host to the presentation of the new World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) for the current calendar year. The analysis, prepared by an international team of experts (led by editor and lead author Mycle Schneider), provides its annual update on the current status of the global nuclear industry. BASE is providing financial support for the study together with a number of other institutions.

• Presentation of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024
Thursday, 19 September, 9:00–11:00 a.m. and 16:00–18:00 p.m.
at the Concordia Press Club and the University of Natural Resources and Life
Sciences, room SR 13, 1st floor.

The WNISR 2024 contains special focus chapters on a number of topics, including a comparative analysis of nuclear and renewable energies. This analysis includes an investigation into the impact of the expansion of solar and wind power generation, along with energy storage, on the competitive landscape of the nuclear sector. Other pivotal chapters encompass an overview of advancements in small modular reactors (SMR), an examination of the potential reliance of the global nuclear sector on Russia, and an investigation of the militarisation of civilian nuclear power plants. An introductory presentation by BASE is scheduled for both the media briefing at Presseclub Concor-dia in the morning and the public presentation at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in the afternoon.

The BASE press team will be happy to answer any further questions or interview requests on site.