Address of the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

Mr. Yuriy Sergeyev

 

at an open international dialogue session

Sustainable Nuclear Energy: development, transparency, security

16 April 2013 New York, UN Headquarters

Dear colleagues, guests,

Distinguished delegates,

First of all let me thank you for your interest in this Ukrainian initiative and I presume that this topic should be discussed openly within the United Nations agenda in the future.

In order to explain to you the idea of Sustainable Nuclear Energy I am going to emphasize that this open dialogue is called “We want it Safe, Transparent and Development Oriented”.

Ukraine is confident that broad international discussion under the auspices of the United Nations is a crucial element to frame the national and global priorities for the future development programs. We believe that energy, being a constituent component to the global sustainable development, should be an integral part of the United Nations strategic agenda. Governments supported initiative of the Secretary-General on Sustainable Energy for All and recognized the documents of Rio+20 Conference in order to enhance the influence of energy issues on economic, social, environmental and other development areas.

  Every developing nation around the world is striving to reach MDGs and bring successful achievements to the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The UN member-states are now in a challenging process of outlining their key priorities for the potential development strategies for the next decades.

Dear colleagues,

I do remember personally, as well as thousands of my compatriots the turmoil of the Chornobyl accident. It was obvious the accident of a global impact. 

Nowadays Ukraine strives to build up its green economic model, introducing energy efficient technologies, safety regulations and developing new alternative sources of energy.

 However Ukraine’s reliance only on alternative sources of energy or burning of fossil fuels will not resolve social development issues, when over 50% of energy supply in our country is a peaceful atom. I am confident as well that national economy should grow and social standards should rise in the future decades. 

We believe that energy accessibility for every nation is one of those important instruments to tackle down its economic and social challenges. Affordable and relatively cheap energy is a solution to minimize poverty rates and sustain food security in rural and urban areas; to improve living standards and develop national healthcare; to support education and science. The importance of energy in the world development cannot be over estimated.

All of these issues are the urgent items of the United Nations agenda. These topics are interlinked and are standing at the cross-roads of energy, social development, transparency, safety and environment.

We believe that those components should define the nexus and   sustainability of the nuclear energy in the future. 

Dear colleagues,

Bearing in mind that Chornobyl fallout and recent incidents diminished political and public support of nuclear energy Ukraine intends to introduce its revised view of the nuclear power generation.

I am sure that our distinguished panelists will provide essential information to clarify current program why “We want it Safe, Transparent and Development Oriented”. The experts worldwide give evidence that nowadays with the threat of climate change and the search for low- or no-carbon energy sources international community is continuously leaning again toward the nuclear power use. 

The progress of the nuclear power generation and technology is inevitable.

I let myself use the words of Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency Mr. Yukiya Amano, who was giving the lecture in New York on 10^th of April, that we do not advocate the construction of new power plants, we just have to ensure safety conditions of the existing ones.

I should add from myself that we should stop scary public with a peaceful atom, rather should try to make it more open and transparent.   

Ukraine as well as other IAEA member-sates has revised its safety standards in all operational and newly designed nuclear power plants (so called stress tests).

Dear colleagues,

                In order to continue the dialogue on the importance of the sustainable nuclear energy for the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda we welcome the UN member-states to evaluate the nexus between the energy and economic and social development issues.

We believe that sustainability for the nuclear energy use should include at least such basic elements as economic development, transparency and safety.    

Why economic and social development? Because sustainable nuclear power generation is a continuous, relatively affordable and low-emission source of energy to satisfy growing world energy demand challenges. It is a power train to sustain economic and social development worldwide, to improve technology and introduce the new standards in healthcare, education and science. Safety and Security are essential. The introduction of the newest safety technologies and standards at the operational and newly designed nuclear facilities should be the Government’s main priority. Technical and consultative cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency is to be the road map for the national sustainable nuclear energy plans. Governments should enhance the international cooperation on illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials as well as combating nuclear terrorism.

Why transparency is vital?  Appropriate solutions on sustainable nuclear energy should be a matter of public discussion and consultations. The civil society insight is a strong background for the political decisions on nuclear power issues. Regular reviews and assessments of the peaceful nuclear activity is a vital part of open and sustainable development. 

         Thank you.