Posted on December 15, 2023 by Justin Williams and Frances Wetherbee
November 30 marked the start of the 28th annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), where a historic 97,000 participants registered and over 80,000 convened in Dubai, UAE to collaborate on solutions to reducing global emissions.
The outcome of the first global stocktake has received mixed feedback; regardless there were several developments from COP28 that should be celebrated.
First, the U.S., UK and Canada, along with more than 20 other countries, launched an ambitious call to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
To triple nuclear capacity from now until 2050, the world will have to build around 30 large reactors each year, even more, if replacing retiring capacity is necessary or if smaller reactors take off.
ClearPath partnered with the World Nuclear Association on a number of events, including one where ClearPath CSO Jeremy Harrell spoke of the increasing bipartisan support for advanced nuclear and America’s position to lead global deployment.
Second, at COP28, conservatives took a leadership stake by driving discussions centered around an all-of-the-above approach to clean energy solutions.
In fact, there were a record number of Congressional Republicans at COP28, solidifying their ambitions to be part of the dialogue and present positive solutions. ClearPath collaborated with the bipartisan delegation by hosting several panels and joining them at others. Our CEO Rich Powell and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) hosted a fireside chat highlighting American policies that have catalyzed a range of technologies. Senator Murkowski emphasized the impact the Energy Act of 2020 had on authorizing advanced nuclear, but called for restructured permitting to ensure projects face reasonable timelines for attracting private investment.
ClearPath discussed permitting with Congressional leadership including Representative John Curtis (R-UT), Representative Garret Graves (R-LA), Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA). Powell led the conversation around the time-sensitive need for bipartisan legislation to address the broken permitting system.
L to R: ClearPath CEO Rich Powell, Representative Garret Graves (R-LA), Representative Scott Peters (D-CA), Representative John Curtis (R-UT), and Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI).
Alongside participation with conservative leadership, ClearPath highlighted pragmatic solutions to fill the white space of clean energy deployment. Compared to previous years, carbon management and nuclear energy were previously shunned; however, at this year’s conference, the final agreement calls for the acceleration of carbon capture and nuclear technologies. ClearPath’s participation in events helped underscore the importance of these vital technologies.
Speaking of technologies, that brings up a third key theme of COP28 — carbon management. In an event with Axios, ClearPath CEO Rich Powell referenced the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which specified the need for carbon removal technologies to stabilize global temperatures, while also noting the technology’s unique ability to retrofit existing infrastructure and preserve jobs.
L to R: Rich Powell (CEO, ClearPath); Nicholas Johnston (Publisher, Axios)
Photo Credit: Arthur Abraham/ Haiku D Photography on behalf of Axios
By collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders with big ideas on solving the climate challenge, ClearPath left COP28 with a great deal of optimism. It was a pivotal opportunity to elevate nuclear energy, carbon management and conservative leadership. Ensuring American leadership remains prominent on the international stage is crucial for securing a future with both a prospering environment and economy.
