Theoretical Analysis of the Role of nuclear Energy in Achieving Sustainable Development and Environmental protection

Abstract

Nuclear energy provides reliable, low-carbon baseload power in the global clean energy transition. However, its sustainability remains contested due to radioactive waste management, safety risks, proliferation concerns, and high costs. This theoretical study critically analyzes nuclear energy within the sustainable development framework, assessing its alignment with economic, environmental, and social pillars while considering lifecycle impacts, resource longevity, governance requirements, and ethical implications. Using a qualitative method, the research synthesizes secondary data from IAEA reports, peer-reviewed assessments, and international legal documents. The analysis applies weak versus strong sustainability theory to evaluate resource substitutability and examines social dimensions including public acceptance, intergenerational justice, and historical accident analysis. Findings confirm minimal lifecycle emissions and low acidification potential, aligning with climate goals. Uranium resources are sufficient for over a century, with advanced fuel cycles potentially extending supply for millennia. However, significant challenges persist: long-term radioactive waste storage, safety risks, proliferation concerns, and high capital costs. The study concludes that nuclear energy supports sustainable development only under stringent conditions: robust legal frameworks, effective regulatory institutions, public trust, and innovation. This conditional outcome raises practical questions about nuclear viability in low-income countries lacking such institutional capacity. Therefore, nuclear energy should be evaluated within diversified portfolios, conditioned on rigorous governance, transparent engagement, and ethical responsibility toward future generations.