Stratfor Global Intelligence writes: “With international climate negotiations set to begin in Paris at the end of the month, it remains to be seen whether leaders and experts can come together to sign a binding agreement on reducing global emissions. Regardless of the talks’ outcome, many countries are already working to reduce their emissions on a national level. From a geopolitical perspective, their efforts are less about potential environmental effects than they are about changes in the energy makeup of individual countries, and consequently, the cost of economic development.”  

“Although much of the world’s focus is on variable renewable energies like wind or solar power as a solution to the emissions problem, nuclear power can also play a role in reducing the total emissions created during electricity production. Nuclear energy provides a low-emission energy source that does not vary with the weather and is not subject to the volatility of hydrocarbon markets. However, nuclear power must overcome its own set of constraints and obstacles to compete with other energy sources. And although global capacity for nuclear power is likely to expand in the coming decades, the United States probably will not substantially increase its own capacity. Instead, it will serve as a technological developer that helps other countries ramp up their use of nuclear energy.”