GNEP

GNEP stands for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. It was an initiative launched by the United States in 2006 with the goal of developing a new generation of nuclear reactors and fuel cycles that would be more proliferation-resistant and produce less waste. The partnership aimed to foster international cooperation in nuclear energy research, development, and deployment.

A key component of GNEP was the concept of advanced fuel cycles, such as those utilizing fast reactors, which could potentially "burn" long-lived radioactive waste from existing spent fuel, thereby reducing the volume and radiotoxicity of waste requiring disposal. The initiative also envisioned the development of a global system for managing spent nuclear fuel, potentially involving international fuel services that would allow countries to utilize nuclear power without possessing their own enrichment and reprocessing facilities.

The GNEP initiative sought to address concerns about nuclear proliferation by making it more difficult for countries to divert nuclear material for weapons purposes. It also aimed to make nuclear energy a more attractive and sustainable option for meeting growing global energy demands while mitigating climate change. However, the GNEP program faced significant challenges, including technical hurdles, high costs, and a lack of broad international consensus on the proposed fuel cycles and waste management strategies. Over time, the initiative evolved and was eventually superseded by other international nuclear energy cooperation frameworks.