Participants in the plenary session of the 11th ATOMEXPO International Forum will talk about the role that nuclear technologies play in achieving the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations.
Among the participants in the meeting will be: Director-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency William Magwood IV; Minister of Innovation and Technological Development of Serbia Nenad Popovic; Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas; First Deputy Minister of Uzbekistan and Director of Uzatom Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov; Deputy Director General of the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission Thomas Gerassimos; Head of Zambia Atomic Agency Roland Msiska; Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation Alexey Likhachev, and others. The meeting will be moderated by Executive Director of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations Michael Harms.
During the discussion, participants will talk about how representatives of different countries see the key effects and values of nuclear technologies and why customers today often choose atomic solutions. Topics for discussion will include the principal socio-economic effects of the use of nuclear technologies and how the benefits of nuclear technologies can help achieve sustainable development goals. The panelists will share their views on whether nuclear technologies are capable of solving the problems currently facing humanity (global warming, the lack of drinking water, inequality of access to electricity, etc.).
The discussion is expected to focus primarily on the following UN Sustainable Development Goals: ‘Affordable and Clean Energy’, ‘Climate Action’ and ‘Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure’. In addition, the cumulative effect of the construction of nuclear powerplants (new jobs, significant tax payments into regional budgets, etc.) will be discussed in the context of achieving the ‘No Poverty’ and ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ goals. It is likely that the development of food irradiation systems and the sterilization of harmful insects will be proposed as a way to achieve the ‘Zero Hunger’ sustainable development goal, and the creation of new nuclear medicine centres may be put forward to achieve the goal of ‘Good Health and Well-Being for People’. Participants will also discuss the development of desalination and water treatment facilities using nuclear technologies (in particular low power nuclear plants) as a method of achieving the ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’ goal.
The plenary session ‘Nuclear for Better Life’ will be held on April 15, 2019 in the Plenary Hall of the Main Media Center. Start time is 12 noon.
For reference:
The main topic for this year’s Forum is “Nuclear for better life.” For the first time in the history of the Forum, the business programme has been compiled by the International Programme Committee, which is made up of: Director General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency William Magwood, Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Agneta Rising, former Chairman of the World Association of Nuclear Operators Jacques Régaldo and former Director-General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Luis E. Echávarri, among others. ATOMEXPO 2019 participants (heads of state structures, major companies and public organizations, as well as international experts) will discuss global issues in the development of carbon-free energy, a responsible approach to the environment and natural resources, green investments and international partnerships for sustainable development. The program of the event includes 18 roundtables on current topics. A number of important documents are expected to be signed both between the Russian Federation and various countries, and between the enterprises of Rosatom State Corporation and foreign companies in the nuclear field.
The 10th anniversary ATOMEXPO Forum in 2018 attracted over 4000 delegates and guests from 68 countries (compared to 65 countries in 2017 and 55 countries in 2016). The exhibition took place on a total area of 20,000 square metres (compared to 12,000 square metres in 2017). Over 600 companies took part in the event. A total of 39 agreements and other documents on cooperation and partnership, including commercial contracts, were signed on the side-lines of ATOMEXPO 2018.
