Bellona Joins Global Launch of WNISR2025 in Rome
The Norwegian environmental organization Bellona participated in the global launch of the 2025 World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR2025) in Rome, Italy, on September 22, 2025. The event, held at Spazio Europa, brought together experts and stakeholders to present the latest independent analysis of the global nuclear industry. Bellona's involvement underscores its commitment to fostering transparency and informed discussion on nuclear energy issues.
Bellona's Expertise and Neutral Stance
Bellona, an international science-based non-profit headquartered in Oslo, Norway, contributed significant expertise to the WNISR2025. Specifically, the organization lent its knowledge on the Russian nuclear sector, including nuclear risks associated with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the broader role of Russia in the international nuclear industry and its value chains. Bellona's nuclear expert, Dmitry Gorchakov, represented the organization at the Rome events, which included both a media briefing and a public discussion.
While Bellona engages actively in discussions on various aspects of nuclear energy, it maintains 'no principled position for or against nuclear energy.' Its primary concerns revolve around nuclear safety and security, as well as ensuring transparency and access to information within the industry. The organization aims to make the global nuclear industry more predictable and transparent, facilitating fact-based discussions on its future.
About the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2025
The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) is an annual, independent international project that provides a comprehensive overview of the status and trends of nuclear energy worldwide. The 2025 edition, coordinated and published by Mycle Schneider, offers detailed data on the construction, operation, production, and age of nuclear power plants globally.
Key focus areas for the WNISR2025 include:
- Challenges of integrating nuclear power into the energy system
- Compatibility analysis of nuclear energy with modern renewables-based electricity systems
- Comparative analysis of nuclear power versus renewable energy deployment
- Russian nuclear interdependencies and the reliance of Western industries on Russia
- The state of development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
- A Fukushima Status Report, evaluating persistent challenges 14 years after the disaster
- A Decommissioning Status Report, providing an overview of the 218 closed reactors worldwide
The Rome Launch Event Details
The launch event in Rome on September 22, 2025, was co-hosted by several organizations, including Kyoto Club, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the German Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE), Mycle Schneider Consulting, and Coordinamento FREE. The day's program included a morning media briefing from 9:30 to 12:30 CET and an afternoon public discussion from 14:00 to 17:30 CET, conducted in both English and Italian. The full WNISR2025 report became available for free download on the same day at 10:00 CET.
6 Comments
Muchacho
Bellona's 'no principled position' is a pragmatic approach for analysis, however, the public's deep-seated fear of nuclear technology requires more than just facts to overcome.
Coccinella
Understanding global nuclear trends, including SMRs, is important for future energy planning. Still, the immense upfront investment and slow construction times make it a less agile solution than other green technologies.
Africa
Excellent! Transparency and facts are crucial for any energy discussion.
Bermudez
Another report legitimizing a dangerous industry. We should be phasing out nuclear, not analyzing it.
Michelangelo
The WNISR provides valuable data for understanding the industry, yet it's crucial to remember that even with safety improvements, accidents like Fukushima can have devastating, long-lasting impacts.
Donatello
Bellona's 'neutrality' is a cop-out. Nuclear power is inherently unsafe.