On June 8th, members of the French-American Chamber of Commerce and the French-American Foundation gathered in Manhattan’s new Times Center for a presentation by Jacques Besnainou, President of AREVA North America. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Charles Ferguson, Senior Fellow for Science & Technology, Council on Foreign Relations.

Addressing Energy, Climate Change and Economic Growth: Developing a New and Sustainable Deal, Mr. Besnainou opened the discussion with an overview of Areva, the number one supplier of nuclear energy products and services in North America with sales of $2.5 billion. Asking the question do we live in a sustainable world?, Mr. Besnainou explained that the world’s population is growing and economies are rapidly developing. Indeed, according to Mr. Besnainou, world energy demand will double by 2050. It is necessary to produce more energy, increase energy efficiency, develop carbon capture and storage, and reduce our carbon emissions.

The United States and a number of European countries are developing renewables today. This is a positive development since these promote low-carbon emissions. Renewables, however, have their limits and are very dependent on wind and sun. A stated by Mr. Besnainou, “renewable and nuclear energy are complementary.”

Nuclear energy is a critical “part of the solution.” It is a quasi-domestic resource, promotes CO2-free emissions, helps to combat climate change, and promotes energy security. The U.S. has already announced 30 projects by major utilities. The expansion of nuclear power is also promoted through the international non-proliferation framework and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which safeguards systems.

A question-and-answer session with Mr. Besnainou and Dr. Ferguson concluded the discussion. Members then gathered in the Times Center atrium for wine, hors d'oeuvres and networking.

The FACC thanks AREVA for generously sponsoring the event.