The UAE residents are in favour of and have a strong understanding of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy programme, according to a national poll on nuclear energy
The poll, commissioned by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and conducted in 2018 by the research company Nielsen, has revealed a slight increase in awareness towards the UAE?s nuclear energy programme, from 83 per cent in 2017 to 85 per cent in 2018.
The purpose of the survey was to support the development of effective educational initiatives and to provide the UAE community with accurate, meaningful and relevant information.
In addition, 78 per cent of UAE residents believe that the benefits of nuclear energy outweigh its risks, noted the poll.
For the Al Dhafra region, the poll has revealed a significant increase in favourability of the UAE programme, from 84 per cent in 2017 to 94 per cent in 2018. Further, 93 per cent of Al Dhafra residents consider nuclear energy to be a safe, clean, reliable and efficient way for electricity production, up from 82 per cent in 2017.
As part of the public opinion survey, more than 1,000 people were interviewed across the UAE including male and female UAE nationals and expatriate residents.
The UAE?s approach to the development of a peaceful nuclear energy programme continues to receive strong support from the international community, as a benchmark for countries interested in exploring nuclear energy for the first time.
The construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is progressing steadily. As of the end of March 2019, the overall construction of the four units is more than 93 per cent.
