Rosatom participated in the 10th Carbon Summit, which took place on 14-15 April 2025 in Istanbul. The annual event brings together representatives from Turkish ministries, government bodies, non-profit organizations, banks, green energy industry leaders, and top Turkish experts, serving as a key platform for dialogue on clean energy and environmental issues. This year, the summit, hosted at Türkiye’s leading university, Istanbul Technical University, attracted over 1,000 participants and more than 100 companies. Rosatom was a major partner and actively participated in the business program.
During the event, Polina Lion, Сhief Sustainability Officer of Rosatom, delivered a presentation on the role of nuclear energy in the green energy transition. She highlighted Rosatom’s nuclear energy solutions that are already making a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including nuclear power plants based on VVER-1200 Generation 3+ reactors and small-scale nuclear power plant projects. Part of the presentation focused on green regulations and the assessment of nuclear energy in terms of sustainability criteria, as well as green and climate instruments that should account for nuclear energy to maximize the benefits of its green qualities.
The energy sector accounts for approximately 70 % of all greenhouse gas emissions, making low-carbon energy solutions central to any country’s energy transition. Several criteria confirm the green nature of nuclear energy. First, it has minimal greenhouse gas emissions throughout its entire lifecycle. Second, it has no negative impact on the environment. This includes the safety of nuclear power plant operations, the reliability of nuclear fuel, the ability to minimize nuclear waste generation, the existence of clear mechanisms for waste processing and storage within the industry, and guaranteed management of nuclear power plant decommissioning. At Rosatom, we have thoroughly analyzed all these criteria and confirm that our nuclear solutions fully meet green requirements. We are aware that Türkiye is currently developing a green taxonomy. We hope that nuclear energy will be included in this document as a green and sustainable source, which will create a strong foundation for Türkiye to fulfill its international commitments to carbon neutrality by 2053,” Polina Lion commented.
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The Rosatom State Corporation has been operating for many years with a focus on the sustainable development agenda. The principles of sustainable development are embedded in Rosatom’s long-term strategy. In 2020, a Unified Industry Policy on Sustainable Development was adopted. In October of the same year, Rosatom joined the United Nations Global Compact, the largest international initiative for businesses in the field of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. The company is the largest producer of low-carbon electricity in Russia, providing about 20 % of the total electricity volume produced in the country. Rosatom ranked first in the world in terms of its portfolio of orders for the construction of nuclear power plants: 39 power units (including six small modular units) in 10 countries are at various stages of implementation. In Russia, increasing attention is being paid to the development and implementation of new technologies aimed at protecting the environment. The Rosatom State Corporation consistently takes steps toward transitioning to a green economy. Reducing negative impacts on nature, preserving, and restoring bioresources are all priority tasks for the Russian nuclear industry in the field of environmental protection. Nuclear industry professionals place great emphasis on modernizing equipment that ensures the production of environmentally clean energy, with hundreds of millions of rubles allocated annually to environmental protection measures. Rosatom participates in projects aimed at preserving biodiversity on our planet, engaging in reforestation, riverbank cleanup, and fish stocking in water bodies.
Akkuyu NPP is the first nuclear power plant being built in the Republic of Türkiye. The Akkuyu NPP project includes four power units equipped with Generation 3+ VVER reactors of Russian design. The capacity of each power unit will be 1200 MW. Akkuyu NPP is the first project in the global nuclear industry being implemented according to the Build-Own-Operate model. Russia is developing scientific and technical cooperation with all interested countries. The implementation of major international projects also continues. Rosatom and its divisions take part in this work.
