Nuclear and the Environment
Renewable is not the same as sustainable
The distinction that changes the conversation about energy.
MATRIZ ELÉTRICA GLOBAL • 2023
% da geração mundial por fonte
- Carvão35.5%
- Gás22.5%
- Hidro14.3%
- Eólica7.8%
- Nuclear9.1%
- Solar5.5%
- Outros5.3%
Fontes de baixo carbono (hidro + nuclear + eólica + solar) somam ~39%. Fonte: Ember Energy Review 2024.
There is a common misconception: that all renewable energy is automatically sustainable — and that nuclear is not.
- Renewable = the source does not run out (sun, wind, water).
- Sustainable = meets demand consistently, with minimal impact over the full lifecycle.
Lifecycle CO₂ comparison:
| Source | g CO₂ / kWh |
|---|---|
| Coal | 820 |
| Natural gas | 490 |
| Solar | 48 |
| Hydroelectric | 24 |
| Nuclear | 12 (IPCC median) |
| Wind | 11 |
Source: IPCC; Our World in Data, 2024.
Nuclear is not renewable in the strict sense. But in terms of carbon footprint, it is as clean as wind. And unlike solar and wind, it works 24/7 regardless of the weather.
And fusion? Deuterium exists in all the water on the planet in virtually inexhaustible quantities. It would be renewable and sustainable at the same time.