As ministers and officials from 194 countries arrive in Brazil for the fortnight-long Cop30 climate conference, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it will use the opportunity to push for the deployment of nuclear power and discuss financing mechanisms that can help the rollout.

The IAEA said it will lead a side event at Cop30, which begins today in Belém, on financing strategies for low-carbon energy sources as the industry seek to identify pathways to accelerate the deployment of nuclear power.

Accelerating deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) will also be in the spotlight, the IAEA said. It said SMRs offer flexible, cost-effective options for powering small energy grids, making them suitable for energy-intensive industries, data centres and commercial ships. An IAEA event will explore approaches to SMR financing, policy and regulation.