New Industry Report: Embed Sustainability at the Core of the UK Nuclear Sector

The report argues that sustainability must become a strategic enabler for the nuclear sector – going beyond compliance and carbon reduction alone – to build long-term public trust, unlock investment, support communities and deliver wider societal value.

Developed through engagement with sustainability professionals, senior leaders, government representatives, NGOs and industry stakeholders across civil and defence nuclear, the report identifies five priority areas for sector-wide action:

• Clean Energy and Decarbonisation
• Climate Resilience and Adaptation
• Skills for All
• Research and Development
• Culture, Diversity and Inclusion

The report also calls for sustainability to be embedded into governance, design standards, operations and decision-making across the sector.

Commenting on the report findings, Arun Khuttan, Co-Chair of the Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council and Sustainability Manager at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, said:

“The nuclear sector has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership not only through delivering secure low-carbon energy and national security, but through the wider environmental and social value it creates for communities and future generations. This report sets out how sustainability can become a consistent and value-adding part of how the sector delivers today and into the future.”

Also commenting, Professor Pete Bryant, CEO of the World Nuclear Transport Institute and Professor at the University of Liverpool, who wrote the report foreword, said:

“The UK nuclear sector stands at an exciting and defining moment. As new nuclear projects, SMRs, micro-reactors and innovation continue to progress, sustainability must be embedded at the sector’s core. This is not about compliance alone, but about reducing environmental impacts, strengthening relationships with communities, and creating long-term societal value alongside clean power.”

In addition, Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:

“Nuclear energy and technology are vital to global sustainable economic development. I welcome this new report from the Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council, which supports industry leadership in sustainability and highlights the role nuclear will play in delivering clean, secure and reliable energy for the future.”

And Chris Hocknell, Director of Sustainability Consultancy Eight Versa, added:

“The case for broader sustainability across the nuclear sector is crystal clear. A decarbonised, abundant and competitive economy cannot run on renewable power alone. Nuclear is the only dependable low-carbon technology that can deliver at scale, with the reliability and consistency modern economies require. It’s time to move beyond ‘greenwishing’ and focus on building the most holistically sustainable technology we have.”

The report highlights growing momentum across the sector, including the integration of nuclear into sustainable finance frameworks and increasing investor focus on ESG performance. However, it also identifies key challenges, including resource constraints, inconsistent reporting standards, cultural resistance and compliance-led approaches that can limit wider sustainability progress.

Among the report’s recommendations are calls for:

• Greater collaboration across the sector on sustainability priorities
• Stronger engagement with local communities in decision-making
• Improved integration of sustainability into engineering, procurement and project delivery
• Better alignment of metrics, reporting and governance
• Increased investment in skills, innovation and climate resilience

The report emphasises that sustainability should not be viewed as an additional burden, but as an opportunity to strengthen business performance, improve resilience, support investment and build public confidence in the nuclear sector.

The publication comes at a pivotal time for the UK nuclear industry, with major developments progressing across new build, decommissioning, waste management, defence, fuel supply and emerging technologies.

King Lee, Head of Policy and Industry Engagement, added:

“Nuclear energy and technology are vital to global sustainable economic development. I welcome this new report from the Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council and its focus on supporting industry leadership in sustainability.”

Read the full report here: Sustainability in the Nuclear Sector – May 26