Nuclear Power as a Response to the Climate Crisis: Focusing on the Development and Cooperation of the Nuclear Industry in Russia and France

Abstract

Concerns about global climate change such as ‘global warming’ and ‘greenhouse effects’ have evolved into a desperate expression “climate crisis” in today. Accordingly, the UN adopted the ‘Paris Agreement’ in 2015, and calling for all countries to implement concrete action plans and practices to realize the goal of the ‘Net Zero’(Carbon Neutral 2050). This is the reason why the voices claiming the usefulness of nuclear power generation or the inevitability of nuclear power generation are increasing at home and abroad in recent years. The European Union classified nuclear power plants as a green taxonomy, and the United States is reconsidering its interest in nuclear power plants. Korea has been pursuing a policy to phase out nuclear power for the past five years, but the new government is foreshadowing a policy shift to actively utilize nuclear power. This study examines the nuclear industry, which is attracting attention again as a way to cope with the climate crisis and meet realistic energy demand, through the cases of Russia and France. As of 2022, Russia is evaluated as a country with the world's best capabilities and competitiveness in the nuclear sector. The EU's nuclear powerhouse France has developed a nuclear industry as a driving force for its energy security and economic development. Furthermore, the two countries are highly trusted and boast the highest competitiveness as suppliers of nuclear power plants to emerging countries seeking to introduce nuclear power plants. Korea also has experience in exporting nuclear power plants to the UAE and is seeking to export more nuclear power plants at the national level. This is why this study examines the nuclear power plant industry and competitiveness of Russia and France. This study analyzes both instrumental nuclear power plants as a countermeasure against the climate crisis and nuclear power plants as the basis for national economic development.