The panelists emphasized the need for hope and excitement about the transition to new energy sources, as well as the need for financing, talent training, and diversity and inclusion. Dinara mentioned the need for long-term thinking when it comes to financing, especially for projects like advanced reactors that may not be commercialized for years to come.

She added, “We have proven nuclear technology that has worked well for 70 years. We have knowledge and expertise, but by not building new projects, we are losing expertise and talent…We don’t have enough people studying nuclear, or mechanical and chemical engineering. These are barriers that are making it harder to bring these technologies to market and gain public support. We need more people who can openly say, ‘We don't know enough about nuclear, rather than saying nuclear is dangerous or bad.’ Because that’s not true. There are so many ways we can benefit from nuclear technology.”

When asked how we can use storytelling and trusted spokespeople to move nuclear toward the clean energy future that we all can be part of, Dinara answered that we need to keep nuclear in perspective, and keep it humanized. “We need to communicate about nuclear in a way that you understand that your daily life is radioactive. You get a dose of radioactivity just from lying next to another person. Toxic waste is toxic forever. Nuclear waste decays. We must find better ways to communicate and put things in perspective.”

There is also the need to implement circular economy principles, added Dinara. “If we mine extensively, we will end up with devastated lands. In the end, there will be nothing left to mine. We need to implement recycling as soon as possible, regardless of the economics behind it,” she said.

All the panelists agreed that solutions will need to be tailored on a situation-by-situation and country-by-country basis. What’s required is a systemic, holistic approach that balances potential harms with the myriad benefits of clean energy sources like nuclear.