Thread by @jrmygrdn

For the first time ever my wife @_TheFG_ has complained that I'm not tweeting, so let's put tat right with a little 'Postcard from #COP26'.

The reason I hadn't tweeted is that I was too busy taking it in and talking to people. COP is huge, because this is a huge problem. It needs to be solved for everybody, and that can't happen unless everybody is included.

However, nuclear representation was sparse indeed as far as I could see among the Blue Zone stands. Many nations building nuclear as a key plank in their decarbonisation gave it no visibility at all.

Here on the UAE stand the only mention of Barakah - the country's world-beating achievement in skills development and rapid deep decarbonisation - is one line on the right. 😒

Apart from IAEA, which has really stepped up its role, there are a few industry associations present, but the main part of nuclear representation comes from volunteers organised by the @NI_YGN (to whom I owe thanks for my own ticket to attend 🙏).

(Needless to say, it is absolutely ridiculous that the global nuclear industry, which has so much to offer, and which has so much riding on discussions at these events leaves its main visible representation to volunteers. Thank God for the volunteers or what else would there be?)

But nuclear is not the only one with a representation problem.

At the Global Wind Energy Council stand I joined an event announcing a renewable coalition to ensure supply chain is sustainable. Wind and solar have a sustainable product for others to use, they say, but those industries also have to be fully sustainable themselves.

Goals to decarbonise their supply chain and go 'fully circular' are admirable and it makes me jealous that the nuclear business is not as committed and forward-looking (at least as far as I can see - please, please correct me if you can).

Then a question came from a hydro executive, "Can we join, so we can make the offer to energy customers even bigger and better?"

On stage were an industrial power consumer, a utility, as well as solar and wind equipment makers who variously said, 'Yes! Please! Let's do it! Hit me up!"

But I'm full of doubt: this 'renewables' initiative was dreamt up, developed and launched at COP - yet apparently the biggest of the renewables, hydro, had been completely ignored. It's not by accident.

As I said: This global problem is not going to be solved unless we hear everyone's voice and count on everyone's capabilities. And, as they are the two main low-carbon sources we have today, that includes nuclear and hydro.