London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 09, 2025

UK forms nuclear alliance designed to edge Russia out of international market

UK forms nuclear alliance designed to edge Russia out of international market

The UK was among five G7 members to join the alliance to share nuclear power fuel supply chains. Fellow member Germany has just completed its ditching of nuclear fuel. The G7 climate and energy ministers were criticised for leaving the door open to further fossil fuel financing.
Five of the world's largest economies are hoping to undermine Russia's grip on nuclear power supplies by shutting it out of a new alliance.

The alliance, formed by the UK, US, Canada, Japan and France during the G7 meeting over the weekend, will develop shared supply chains for nuclear fuel.

The five G7 members aim to push Russia out of the international nuclear energy market and cut off funding for its invasion of Ukraine, the UK's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps called the announcement the "next vital step" in efforts to defeat Vladimir Putin and ensure no one "can ever think they can hold the world to ransom over their energy again".

The agreement will also strengthen the UK's nuclear energy sector, helping it on the path to energy independence and reducing electricity bills, his department said.

The fuel is used to operate nuclear power stations which provide around 15% of the UK's electricity supply, with an aim for it to reach 25% by 2050.

Meanwhile fellow G7 member Germany last week closed the last of its remaining nuclear reactors, completing a plan driven by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011.

Ministers from the Group of Seven rich nations were finishing two days of meetings on climate, energy and environmental policy on Sunday.

They set big new targets for solar power and offshore wind capacity, agreeing to speed up renewable energy development and move towards a quicker phase-out of fossil fuels.

"We stress that fossil fuel subsidies are inconsistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement," a statement read.

And they underlined a commitment to "accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels so as to achieve net zero in energy systems by 2050 at the latest".

They were accused of falsely claiming they had ended fossil fuel finance, while actually leaving the door open for gas investments.

The G7 climate and energy ministers said: "Investment in the gas sector can be appropriate to help address potential market shortfalls provoked by the crisis, subject to clearly defined national circumstances, and if implemented in a manner consistent with our climate objectives and without creating lock-in effects."

Louise Burrows, from thinktank E3G, called it "concerning to see the G7 claim they have ended international fossil fuel finance, when multiple fossil fuel projects are still being actively pursued by over half the group, and Japan and Germany are yet to adopt new fossil finance policies.

"To be taken seriously, the G7 must follow the UK's lead and implement this commitment with integrity," she said.

The world's leading energy agency, the International Energy Agency's (IEA) says no new gas fields or liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure is compatible with the global goal to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

They also stopped short of a target to make the power sector "fully fossil free" by 2035, instead "[reaffirming] our
commitment to achieving a fully or predominantly decarbonized power sector by 2035".

Hiroki Osada, campaigner at Friends of the Earth Japan, said: "Nothing can justify new investment in fossil fuels, and no exceptions can be allowed.

"Japan should immediately end international financial support to fossil fuels in line with its G7 commitment, and should also commit to a complete phase-out from coal by 2030."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×