Serbian president: 'What will we do with nuclear energy? Still not clear'

By Aysu Bicer

GLASGOW, Scotland (AA) - Serbian president on Tuesday said there are many questions about the green transition that the world still doesn't have proper answers to, "What will we do with nuclear energy?" is one of those questions.

As the UN climate summit continues in Glasgow, world leaders have been under pressure to act rather than give empty promises in the fight against climate change.

Aleksandar Vucic told Anadolu Agency that he believes making pledges matters but also understands the anger of activists calling for world leaders to act an urgent action.

"I dare to say I understand the anger of an ordinary people that see we are not fast enough that we are not."

That's something the world needs to change, he said, with many questions being raised in Glasgow.

- What to do with nuclear power plants?

While being at COP26, Vucic said the world still has no real and proper answers, for example, on how to use nuclear energy in the transition process.

"How are we going to treat natural gas? What will we do with nuclear energy, with nuclear power plants? Are we going to shut them off? Or to build a more?"

Pointing that there are different approaches from Germany and France, he said: "I speak only about EU, not to mention America, China, Russia, Australia, and all the others."

He also said financing all these activities is another critical issue that needs to be answered.

"Some people were mentioning trillions of dollars at our disposal. But what's the cost of those trillions of dollars? What will be an interest rate? What are the funds that we can take this amazing amount of money for us?"

These are the questions which are raised and ordinary people and activists that also need to understand, he stressed, adding "that we need to balance it in a way to secure energy needs of our countries."

People will do blame their leaders if they don't have electricity, he said, adding, "In my country, everybody would blame myself if they wouldn't have enough electricity."

Vucic also said phasing out coal also needs investments. "We cannot do it before we build new renewable capacities. For that, we need more money."

That is a sort of vicious circle that needs to be overcome. "That's why these gatherings are important. I believe that we can do something in the future in more concrete terms, and then people will be more satisfied."

Also talked about Turkey- Serbia relations he said both countries can invest together into some projects into new renewable capacities.

- What is COP?

COP, an abbreviation for the Conference of the Parties, is being attended by countries that have signed onto the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The numbered COP gatherings are hosted by a different country each year, with the very first, COP1, in Berlin in 1995.

COP26 was initially scheduled to take place last November in Glasgow but was postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and is now being hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy.

The last conference was in Madrid, Spain, in November 2019 and ended with issues unresolved, but an agreement was reached on cutting carbon dioxide emissions.