Nuclear Energy & Sustainable Development, Discussion with Dr. Sunil Felix

Climate change is arguably the most severe challenge of the 21st century facing our planet, and the greatest existential threat of our time to humankind. Man’s interference with the climate system (mainly through the emission of greenhouse gases and changes in land use) has reached such an unprecedented level, that there is now broad agreement that a warming of this magnitude would have profound impacts both on the environment and on human societies, thus threatening international stability and peace. Indeed, climate change cannot be considered isolated from other challenges. It is a truly cross‐cutting issue affecting many sectors and connected to other global challenges. For example, climate change has the potential to impact global water supplies, agricultural production, human health, and our energy infrastructure. In turn, the way we produce our energy and food has a profound effect on the Earth's climate system. Consequently, the impacts of policies in one of these fields on the other challenges need to be explored, if truly sustainable solutions to global problems shall be achieved.

As our current energy system is a major driver of global warming (it accounts for about 75% of total greenhouse gas emissions), transforming the way we produce and consume energy is of utmost importance, with the world’s ability to meet its climate goals hinging on the energy sector’s ability to reach net zero emissions by mid-century. As temperatures break records year after year, the case for action has never been stronger.

Completely transitioning away from fossil fuels and moving towards decarbonized energy sources is essential to reduce carbon emissions. In the race to net-zero carbon emissions, and in a geopolitical context where energy is being weaponized, should countries rely on nuclear energy or make space for more fossil fuels/renewable energy sources?

In this presentation, we take a look at the role nuclear energy can play to contribute to sustainable development.

About Dr. Sunil Felix:

Dr. Sunil Felix took on the position of Nuclear Counsellor at the French Embassy in Washington DC on September 1, 2020.

Following a PhD and post-doctoral studies in Mathematics, he joined the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA – France) in 1990.

Since then, he has been working as a research engineer in the Structural Analysis field.

Along with the framework of his CEA activities, he served as Nuclear Counsellor at the French Embassy in South Korea, India and Japan. He also acted as Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), during the French Presidency of this Forum, from 2006 to 2010.

Dr. Sunil Felix was awarded the National Order of Merit by the French National Authorities in 2015.

Host or Publisher Alliance Française de Washington, DC (AFDC)