Nuclear Coalition Urges Concrete COP31 Action
Forty-one organisations representing over 100,000 nuclear professionals have asked the COP31 presidency to take specific steps on nuclear energy.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Nuclear
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Nuclear for Climate, an initiative of nuclear professionals, engineers and scientists, sent a letter to the COP31 presidency requesting concrete nuclear measures. The letter was signed by 41 organisations representing more than 100,000 nuclear professionals and other stakeholders.
Why it matters
The letter argues that political recognition of nuclear energy must be followed by concrete measures to support projects ahead of the summit in Turkey later this month. It frames nuclear power as a tool for clean electricity, climate finance access and industrial decarbonisation.
The letter was signed by 41 organisations representing more than 100,000 nuclear professionals, from a coalition of more than 150 associations established in 2015. Whether the COP31 presidency will incorporate nuclear energy into its implementation and financing plans remains unstated.
The players
Nuclear for Climate
An initiative of nuclear professionals, engineers and scientists established in 2015 by more than 150 associations worldwide to advocate for nuclear energy as a climate solution.
Murat Kurum
Turkey's minister of environment, urbanisation and climate change, serving as COP31 president-designate and recipient of the letter.
The details
The letter, addressed to COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum, Turkey's minister of environment, urbanisation and climate change, requests that nuclear energy be included in COP31 implementation and financing plans. It outlines three main requests covering nuclear power's role in clean electricity production, access to climate finance and industrial decarbonisation.
Timeline
Nuclear for Climate was established in 2015 by more than 150 associations worldwide.
The letter to the COP31 presidency was reported on 2 November 2026, ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Turkey later in November 2026.
The Big Picture
The appeal targets the COP31 agenda, following the annual UN climate summit cycle in which nuclear energy's role has been debated against renewables and fossil-fuel phase-down commitments. It positions nuclear power as a candidate for the same climate finance streams that the summit process channels to other low-carbon technologies.
If nuclear energy is included in COP31 implementation and financing plans, it could affect which low-carbon electricity and industrial decarbonisation projects receive climate finance. The practical effect on energy costs and access would depend on how any measures are later defined and funded.
The takeaway
Stakeholder coalitions are using pre-summit letters to convert general political endorsements of nuclear energy into specific financing and implementation commitments. Whether those requests are adopted will show how far recognition of nuclear power in climate talks extends into funding decisions.
What happens next
The COP31 climate summit in Turkey is scheduled for later in November 2026, where the presidency's response to the letter may become visible.
Further reading
For broader context on the reactor technologies and policy debates behind this appeal, see Nuclear.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency.
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