The lecture will unpack the economic realities of nuclear energy, the long timelines needed to build new reactors, the risks of accidents, and the environmental impacts linked to nuclear infrastructure. Rather than treating nuclear power as a purely technical option, the talk will place it within broader political, social and security debates about how we respond to the climate crisis.

There will be time for questions and discussion after the talk. The event is open to students, staff and anyone interested in the politics and possibilities of climate action.

About the speaker

The lecture will be given by Professor M.V. Ramana, Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security and Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Nuclear Is Not the Solution: The Folly of Atomic Power in the Age of Climate Change (Verso, 2024). His work sits at the intersection of energy policy, security and global justice, and he is involved in several international research and assessment initiatives on nuclear risk and fissile materials.