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Global Nexus Initiative to Explore Links between Climate Change, Nuclear Energy and Global Security

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Mary Pietryzk
The following is a guest post by Mary Pietryzk, Manager of Policy Development at NEI.

What if a thoughtful group of accomplished professionals decided to explore the issues and linkages around climate change, nuclear power and global security? The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and the Partnership for Global Security (PGS) have teamed up for a two year project to explore those linkages. Today marks the launch of the Global Nexus Initiative (GNI): Where Climate, Nuclear, and Security Meet. You can follow the work of the Initiative on Twitter using the #globalnexusinitiative hash tag.

Putting their heads (and contact lists) together, PGS and NEI have created a working group of 17 highly accomplished, multidisciplinary policy professionals from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This is a team of energy, nuclear, climate change, and security experts that boast impressive resumes and well-earned reputations for finding creative solutions to challenging global problems.

The group includes three ambassadors from the Middle East, Europe and the United States (Amb. Hamad Alkaabi, Amb. John Bernhard and Amb. Kenneth Brill), the co-founder and executive director of the Clean Air Task Force (Armond Cohen), the first director of the IAEA Office of Nuclear Security (Dr. Anita Nilsson) and a former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Dr. Richard Meserve). Their goal is to develop a set of realistic and actionable policy recommendations for international leaders and policymakers on these issues.

Keep an eye out for the results of the GNI’s first workshop this September where the working group will consider the role of nuclear power in a carbon constrained world. This will be the first in a series of workshops at which the GNI members explore how to ensure the safe and secure use of existing and new nuclear energy sources, support economic vitality, and protect people and the environment.

For more information about the project and Working Group, please visit the Global Nexus Initiative website. The project organizers will post additional content, including presentations, videos, and short policy memos from the workshops.
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