The global nuclear power industry is losing one of its most forceful advocates with the decision by John Kerry, the US presidential envoy for climate change and one of the biggest supporters of nuclear power on the global stage, to retire by the spring, to support US president Joe Biden’s re-election campaign later in the year.

The Financial Times newspaper reported on Kerry’s retirement on 13 January.

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, where Kerry is one of the most influential and sought-after global leaders, he told British broadcaster Sky News on 17 January that his agenda at Davos this year is “making sure that the business world fully seizes the opportunities we created in Dubai at Cop28, and we are moving much more rapidly in to implement the transition from fossil fuels.” “That has to be real.”

At Cop28, a decision was taken that nuclear power, as one of the most advanced clean energy technologies, needs to triple its current installed capacity levels from around 400 GW to over 1,200 GW in 2050.