Nuclear Advocates Press COP31 for Funded Action
A coalition of 41 groups wants nuclear projects written into the Turkey summit's plans, a request not yet adopted.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Nuclear
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Nuclear for Climate, an initiative of nuclear professionals, engineers and scientists, has sent a letter to the COP31 presidency requesting concrete nuclear measures ahead of the climate summit in Turkey later this month. The letter was signed by 41 organisations representing more than 100,000 nuclear professionals and other stakeholders. The development is a policy request and remains at the stage of advocacy rather than adopted commitments.
Why it matters
The letter argues that existing political recognition of nuclear energy must be followed by concrete measures such as project support, pointing to a gap between stated policy and implementation in climate planning. It asks that nuclear be included in COP31 implementation and financing plans, which would determine whether the technology is treated as a funded climate tool.
The coalition's letter is a signed advocacy request, not a technical measurement, and the source reports no capacity, cost or emissions figures. Its three requests cover nuclear power's role in clean electricity, access to climate finance and industrial decarbonisation, but their quantitative terms are not specified.
The players
Nuclear for Climate
An initiative of nuclear professionals, engineers and scientists founded in 2015 by more than 150 associations worldwide to advocate for nuclear energy in climate policy.
Murat Kurum
Turkey's minister of environment, urbanisation and climate change and president-designate of the COP31 climate summit.
The details
Nuclear for Climate was established in 2015 by more than 150 associations and describes itself as an initiative of nuclear professionals, engineers and scientists. The letter was addressed to Murat Kurum, Turkey's minister of environment, urbanisation and climate change and COP31 president-designate, and asks the presidency to write nuclear energy into the summit's implementation and financing plans. The letter frames its three requests around clean electricity production, climate finance access and industrial decarbonisation.
Timeline
2015: Nuclear for Climate is established by more than 150 associations worldwide.
November 2, 2026: The letter to the COP31 presidency is reported.
Later in November 2026: The COP31 climate summit takes place in Turkey.
The Tech Race
The letter positions nuclear energy as a climate tool competing for inclusion in the summit's financing and implementation frameworks alongside other clean-electricity options. The source does not name specific competing technologies or programs in that contest.
The letter does not change any availability, price or regulation today, so readers see no immediate practical effect. Any change would depend on whether COP31 writes nuclear into its implementation and financing plans, which the source does not yet confirm.
The takeaway
The coalition is pressing for nuclear to move from political recognition into funded projects at the COP31 summit in Turkey. Watch whether the presidency's final implementation and financing plans, expected at the summit later in November 2026, include any nuclear-specific commitments.
What happens next
The COP31 climate summit in Turkey later in November 2026 is the next point at which the presidency's response to the letter's three requests can be judged.
Further reading
For background on how reactors and the wider nuclear sector are developing, see the Nuclear section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency.
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