Notice

Civil nuclear fuel cooperation between Canada, France, Japan, United Kingdom and United States: statement

Published 8 December 2023

On the occasion of the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), convened in the United Arab Emirates, on this 7th day of December, 2023;

Recognizing that we five nations of the G7, organized in Sapporo, are collectively responsible for 50% of the world’s uranium conversion and enrichment production capacity; 

Recognizing the global aspirational goal to triple nuclear energy generation by 2050 and, particularly, the need for resilient supply chains, including fuel, to deliver safe and secure nuclear technologies as affirmed in the Net Zero Nuclear declaration;

The nations colloquially known as the “Sapporo 5,” to include Canada, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States:

Resolve to promote public-private investment in enriched uranium production capacity free from Russian material; 

Resolve to establish a resilient global uranium supply market free from Russian influence and the potential to be subject to political leverage by other countries;

Resolve to work towards enabling the investment of government or private-led financial resources necessary to increase our own conversion and enriched uranium production capacity and to advance efforts to secure reliable nuclear fuel suppliers;

Underscore our announcements to pursue at least USD $4.2 billion in government-led and private investment in our five nations’ collective enrichment and conversion capacity over the next three years, with a view to catalyze private sector finance, without prejudice of open market rules among like-minded nations;

Invite nuclear electricity generating utilities or direct nuclear energy industrial end-users of like-minded nations to develop long-term supply strategy that signals and provides confidence to the industry to make the relevant investment to increase their capacity;

Invite all likeminded nations seeking reliable nuclear energy partners to join us in securing the global uranium supply chain. 

Statement on civil nuclear fuel cooperation between Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States

[Text from Sapporo G7]

Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States share common visions of democracy as well as safe and secure global economic and energy systems. Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war against Ukraine and the increasing impacts of climate change have fundamentally altered the global energy landscape and accelerated the need for collaboration between like-minded allies. In the June 2022 Group of Seven Leaders’ Communique, our Leaders made clear our collective intent to reduce reliance on civil nuclear and related goods from Russia, including working to assist countries seeking to diversify their nuclear fuel supply chains.

To this end, Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have identified potential areas of collaboration on nuclear fuels to support the stable supply of fuels for the operating reactor fleets of today, enable the development and deployment of fuels for the advanced reactors of tomorrow, and achieve reduced dependence on Russian supply chains. This multilateral effort would aim to recognise and leverage the unique resources and capabilities possessed by each country’s civil nuclear sectors to establish a global commercial nuclear fuel market. Collaborating on strategic opportunities in uranium extraction, conversion, enrichment, and fabrication supports our collective climate, energy security, and economic resilience objectives. This multilateral cooperation would enable us to strengthen our domestic sectors and establish a level playing field to compete more effectively against predatory suppliers.

This strategic collaboration aims to increase the depth and resilience of our nuclear fuel supply-chains, while supporting the wider geostrategic objectives of further reducing reliance on Russia in the nuclear fuel supply chain for the long term and increasing the availability of commercial free-market alternatives in the supply of civil nuclear technologies to third countries. The supply of civil nuclear technology, equipment, or materials would be subject to applicable domestic laws, regulations, and international agreements.

Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States further seek to explore avenues to collaborate in multilateral spheres to advance energy security and economic resilience for partners around the globe. We welcome the announcements made at G7 this year of additional action in support of this goal.