The rapidly growing energy demands, whilst reducing harmful emissions of greenhouse gases have become a key component of energy policies of many countries. Nuclear power is gaining widespread recognition as a clean reliable and economical source to combat pollution, climate change, and environmental risks.

Many countries including Pakistan aim to expand their nuclear power capacity in the coming decades and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Pakistan, facing the deepest energy and economic crisis in the country`s history, needs to revive its energy policies and prioritize nuclear energy to achieve twin targets—the growing energy needs and address climate change challenges.

Pakistan’s energy sector relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to 76.1% of the country’s CO2 emissions.

Pakistan is grappling with a serious energy shortage issue that contributes to the country`s economic crisis. Due to the inefficiency of Pakistan`s power sector, electricity costs have significantly risen well beyond what many citizens can afford. Energy shortages have greatly affected commercial activities in many ways, such as production, profitability and productivity, investment, and business suspension while increasing the cost of living for consumers and householders.

Currently, Pakistan is largely dependent on fossil fuel imports for its energy needs which is a major burden on the country`s economy as it puts significant pressure on foreign exchange reserves. In 2023, the contribution of fossil fuels was 59% of the country`s electricity generation mix. In the first quarter of FY25, the oil import bill surged by 15.74% indicating that the consumption of petroleum goods is rising.

This has worsened energy insecurity and made the country vulnerable to fluctuations in the prices of oil coal and gas in the international markets.  Also, due to its heavy dependence on fossil fuel energy for economic growth, 76.1% of overall CO2 emissions are from the energy sector.

Pakistan suffers severely from Climate change. The Global Climate Risk Index 2024 ranked Pakistan as the 5^th most vulnerable country to climate change. In 2022, the climate-change-induced flooding caused mass displacement of people and economic damage of $40 billion.

Climate change has deeply affected the productivity of Pakistan’s agriculture sector which is considered the foundation of the country`s economy. The rise in temperatures, the alterations in precipitation, changes in the incidences of extreme weather events, and a decrease in water availability are negatively affecting the production of the agriculture sector.

Nuclear energy offers high efficiency with low greenhouse gas emissions, achieving a capacity factor exceeding 90%.

Nuclear energy is widely recognized as a reliable source, offering a stable baseload and often achieving one of the highest capacity factors among all energy sources, frequently exceeding 90%. This means that nuclear power plants operate at nearly full capacity almost continuously, in contrast to renewable sources like solar (15–30%) and wind (30–40%). Though wind and solar energy are considered economically competitive with fossil fuels in many countries, their capacity to generate electricity depends on the weather conditions and time of day.

Nuclear energy is known for low greenhouse gas emissions and offers high energy density, allowing a small amount of fuel to generate substantial electricity. It provides a reliable, cost-effective and stable energy supply, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and diversifying energy sources. Modern reactors feature advanced safety technologies, while long-term fuel availability ensures sustainability.

Many countries across the globe, including Pakistan, aim to increase the capacity of nuclear energy. For instance, the United States intends to triple its nuclear power output by 2050, increasing from its current capacity of 96,952 MW. China increased the capacity of its nuclear energy by more than 400% between 2010 and 2020.

Additionally, EU ministers recently voiced the approval of nuclear energy for the first time in their mandate of the bloc for the UN climate summit, marking the increasing use of atomic power as an energy source. The call for endorsement of nuclear energy represents a gradual change in the standpoint towards nuclear energy in Europe, which took a negative stance after Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

Pakistan is currently operating six Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) with a total installed capacity of 3,545 MW which contributed about 18.2% of the total electricity generation in the national grid during July-March FY-2024. Pakistan aims to increase its nuclear power generation capacity to 40,000 MW by 2050 as part of its Nuclear Energy Vision 2050 reflecting the country’s commitment to expanding its energy mix and enhancing energy security through sustainable and clean energy solutions.

Pakistan aims to expand nuclear power capacity to 40,000 MW by 2050 under its Nuclear Energy Vision.

Nuclear energy enables Pakistan to meet its energy needs while tackling climate change challenges promoting a climate change resilient environment for the country`s agriculture sector. Thus, nuclear energy offers a sustainable solution for the country’s future.

Facing the dual challenge of climate change and rising energy demands, Pakistan needs to incorporate nuclear power into its energy plan to achieve both sustainability and energy security. Also, the peaceful application of nuclear power is incredibly useful in promoting a climate-resilient environment, pest management, and sustainable agricultural practices.

But, increasing nuclear power in Pakistan is not without significant challenges. Pakistan is excluded from trade in nuclear plants or materials which hinders the development of its civil nuclear energy program. The US-India nuclear deal and the NSG waiver which has provided India with the opportunity for nuclear trade despite being an outlaw to the NPT is an evident example of the discriminatory behavior of the international community.

Climate-change-induced challenges threaten Pakistan’s agriculture sector, exacerbating economic vulnerabilities.

Finally, through international cooperation and promoting public awareness about peaceful uses of nuclear technology, Pakistan can improve its energy security economic growth and address environmental challenges.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.