http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...

The carefully worded joint statement called for assurances on safety and security of nuclear materials, but several nations — the United States, Canada and Britain — said they were determined to build new reactors. Japan also has ambitious nuclear goals.

The IEA, in a report issued last week, estimated the world would have to construct 32 new nuclear power plants each year from now until 2050 as part of an effort to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent.

“I don't think it's an unreasonable forecast or estimate,” U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said of the IEA study. “I think we're really on the verge of a very substantial increase in the number of nuclear power plants.”

Germany, however, said it had no plans to join the effort. Jochen Homann, Germany's economics minister, said Berlin had not changed its decision to phase out the use of nuclear power.

DL