Current perspectives on nuclear energy as a global climate change mitigation option

• Published in: Mitigation and adaptation strategies for global change Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 749 - 777
• Main Authors: Siqueira, Diana Silva, de Almeida Meystre, Josué, Hilário, Maicon Queiroz, Rocha, Danilo Henrique Donato, Menon, Genésio José, da Silva, Rogério José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air pollution; Atmospheric Sciences; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide emissions; Climate change; Climate Change Management and Policy; Climate change mitigation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Economic impact; Electric power generation; Electricity; Electricity pricing; Emission; Emissions; Environmental Management; Fossil fuels; Global climate; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Health problems; Industrial plant emissions; Investment; Mitigation; Nuclear electric power generation; Nuclear energy; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Original Article; Policies; Mitigation; Energy Policy; Emission factor; Nuclear energy; CO; Climate changes
• ISSN: 1381-2386; 1573-1596
• DOI: 10.1007/s11027-018-9829-5

The primary source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are fossil fuels with about 66% share of global electricity generation. Despite the challenges it faces today, nuclear energy is considered an effective technology that can be used in mitigating climate change with specific characteristics that underpin the commitment of some countries to maintain it as a future option. Several studies show the effects of investment minimization policies and the replacement of nuclear power plants with renewables. This implies economic impacts on the price of electricity, which increases the use of fossil fuels resulting in health problems related to air pollution and increasing costs to reduce the carbon emitted in the world. This paper addresses a systematic review of the prospects for nuclear energy investments adopted by countries as a strategic option to mitigate climate change and quantifies a range of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission values that can be avoided using as reference the emission factor of power plants at coal.