Kazakhstan joins Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050

Kazakhstan has endorsed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050, according to the Ministry of Energy’s press office.

The country’s authorities made the announcement at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku. The Declaration has already been endorsed by 26 states, including the U.S., the U.K., France, Sweden, the UAE and South Korea.

The world community views nuclear energy as a crucial solution to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Kazakhstan has claimed that it sees nuclear energy as a key part of its future energy balance, helping the country achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

On Oct. 6, Kazakhstan held a national referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant. The majority of citizens supported the project, with 5.5 million people (71%) voting in favor, compared to 2 million who voted against it.

The Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050 originates from an initiative by over 20 countries at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, December 2023. They announced their intentions to not only build new nuclear reactors but also extend the operational life of existing ones.