Topic 1 - Nuclear energy as clean energy

The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change aims to keep global increases in temperature less than 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and in order to do so, it urges countries to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this, many countries still primarily depend on sources of energy with high carbon emissions, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. In contrast to these high-carbon sources of energy, nuclear power has minimal carbon emissions and few lasting environmental consequences. Regardless of the advantages of nuclear energy to the environment, it is expensive to construct and maintain nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the development of civilian nuclear power programs can sometimes lead to the development of nuclear weapons, which can be a major threat to international security. As global warming continues to worsen due to greenhouse gas emissions, despite its risks, the use of nuclear energy as a source of clean energy is a means of mitigating this massive threat to humanity. With this in mind, the IAEA must determine how to incentivize the continued use of nuclear energy in states that already possess civilian nuclear programs as well as support the development of nuclear energy in countries that currently lack nuclear programs, all while ensuring nuclear energy is used primarily for peaceful purposes.

Topic 2 - Protection of nuclear energy in regard to armed conflict

In times of peace, nuclear power plants provide a safe, low-carbon source of energy for millions, if not billions, of people. In times of war, however, warfare can jeopardize the safe operation of nuclear power plants. If nuclear reactors are damaged by bombardment, they can release radioactive material into the environment, posing a massive threat to the health of those who live there. Materials contaminated with radiation can also spread far beyond where they were originally released, posing a further risk to human health far from where warfare may be taking place. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine exemplifies this phenomenon: Russian forces captured the plant in 2022, and it has been subject to drone strikes, shelling, and bombardment since then. These strikes have massively threatened the ability of the plant to operate safely, and worsened fears of a release of radiation into the environment. The IAEA must determine how to prevent nuclear power stations from both purposeful and accidental damage during times of conflict, as well as determine a comprehensive strategy to protect those affected by a potential release of nuclear material into the environment.