Nuclear renaissance or how the world stopped worrying and love the technology

In response to both the ongoing energy crisis and the long-term efforts toward decarbonization, many countries have increasingly turned to nuclear energy. The declaration at COP 28 in December 2023 underscored the support of numerous governments for this energy source. While nuclear technology is not universally embraced, and there are still countries with strictly negative stances, there is an observable overall increase in acceptance. Many view nuclear energy as a key means to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This paper aims to elucidate the policy changes that have contributed to this nuclear renaissance, employing the critical juncture concept. We posit that the current energy crisis has fully opened a window of opportunity for nuclear energy, propelled by decarbonization efforts. The pursuit of low-carbon energy sources, coupled with perceived energy security concerns, has laid the groundwork for the resurgence of nuclear energy. However, there currently exists a mismatch between policy preferences for increased nuclear use and the capacity of the nuclear industry to meet these demands.