There is an answer to avoid a climate catastrophe, so what are we waiting for?

The United Nations recently declared: “The evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions are choking our planet and placing billions in danger. We must act decisively now to avert a climate catastrophe.” Reading the words, I feel horror for our children’s future and frustration that the sense of urgency to take sweeping action seems lost in Canada. I worry critical time is being lost debating nuclear, and it’s demoralizing to see so much of the conversation centred on unfounded myths. Yet I haven’t lost hope. Science has proven there is a path to net zero. We can achieve it. Canada has a huge advantage, and Indigenous businesses and communities are pivotal to getting there. How? Clean nuclear. Canada needs nuclear energy to tackle the climate crisis. Indigenous communities need nuclear for economic opportunities. We can lead the world through our industry experience, our world-class safety and regulatory track record, and our access to the world’s largest deposits of naturally occurring high-grade uranium. Is building our renewable energy capabilities like solar, wind, and hydro appealing? Yes. Are taxing carbon emissions to encourage Canadians to reduce consumption an option? Sure. But it’s not enough. World-renowned scientists and environmentalists, the International Energy Agency, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and our federal government and years of scientific studies point to the same conclusion. It is not possible to fight climate change without nuclear in the mix. We must leverage nuclear to work alongside renewables. If we don’t, there is no feasible way to reduce emissions to an extent that we can avoid disaster. Northern Saskatchewan is a strong example for what is possible. At the front end of the nuclear cycle, you have uranium mines with the smallest footprint in the industry, the highest rates of Indigenous participation, and leading-edge community monitoring programs. That’s why we at Des Nedhe Group, and our partners at Kitsaki Management and Athabasca Basin Developments, signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this year. It declares our commitment to work together, and with other First Nations, to take a lead role in advancing SMRs. We have a 30-year history of partnership in the uranium industry. We know nuclear must be in the mix to reach net zero, and if we don't produce our own, we will end up buying it and compromise the socio-economic benefits. There is so much value we can bring and so many factors we can get behind. Nuclear provides diverse social and employment opportunities: Nuclear generates more than $6-billion in revenue each year in Canada and supports more than 76,000 direct and indirect jobs. This includes a significant number of employment opportunities within Indigenous communities, contributing major socio-economic benefits. Nuclear energy through SMRs can also supply energy to remote or off-the-grid communities, increasing energy density and access to reliable energy. This is good for business, good for education, and good for our kids who want to be connected and plugged in. Nuclear is the cleanest, most efficient major energy source along with wind and hydro—and that’s considering the entire production cycle from mining, extraction and processing. Nuclear is a clean, energy dense, and reliable energy source available 24/7. It is the most efficient major power source by land area and is 15 times more efficient than renewable sources like wind and solar. Currently in Canada, nuclear helps avoid 80 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the equivalent of taking 15 million cars off the road every year. There is potential to do so much more. Nuclear supports the decarbonization of major industry: Canada's economy is built on natural resources. Fossil fuels currently serve 80 per cent of all energy needs in Canada, and oil and gas contributed $105-billion in GDP in 2020. They also account for a large share of this country's emissions. It's not realistic to leave the oil in the ground for socio-economic reasons, but nuclear can help decarbonize heavy industries in an environmentally and economically beneficial way. Canada is a global leader with unique advantage: Canada is uniquely positioned as a global leader in clean nuclear technology innovation, including having one of the largest natural reserves of high-grade uranium in the world. Eighty-five per cent of production is currently exported. Nuclear creates carbon-free electricity: Nuclear energy is one of the largest contributors of carbon-free electricity globally. It already accounts for around 15 per cent of Canada’s electricity, powering more than 10 million homes. Nuclear has an unrivalled safety record: In more than 65 years, no one has been harmed by the storage, transportation, or handling of spent fuel in Canada. Nuclear is setting a strong path to reconciliation: The nuclear industry acknowledges the value and central role Indigenous communities and businesses bring to the table. We can look at Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) groundbreaking commitments in their recently released Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and Bruce Power’s significant work on Indigenous procurement to see the strong direction that’s being set. We can make a difference and come out stronger, together. What are we waiting for? Sean Willy is president and CEO of Des Nedhe Developments, Indigenous Affairs, and Socio-Economic Development. The Hill Times