Study on the Characteristics and Evolution Trends of Global Uranium Resource Trade from the Perspective of a Complex Network

Abstract

With consensus on the climate issue, most countries have successfully put forward their carbon emission targets. Due to low carbon and mature technology, nuclear energy has become the focus of scholars. The development of nuclear energy is inseparable from the support of uranium resources. Due to the geographically uneven distribution of uranium resources, the flow of resources across the globe satisfies both supply and demand. Therefore, research on the characteristics of the global uranium resource trade and its evolution trends can provide a reference for decision-makers to formulate relevant uranium resource trade policies to ensure the security of the national uranium resource trade. Based on the perspective of the industry chain, this paper constructed an upstream natural uranium trade complex network (upstream) and an enriched uranium trade complex network (downstream) to analyze the characteristics and evolution trends of GURTNs at the global, community, and national levels. The results show that: (1) The trade of enriched uranium is mainly concentrated between developed countries such as European and North American countries. Natural uranium is a raw material, and its trade characteristics are greatly affected by uranium price fluctuations. (2) The evolution of the global natural uranium trade community is dominated by the significant uranium-resource-demanding countries. The global natural uranium trade pattern will be difficult to change in the short term. (3) With the expiration of the USA–Russia enriched uranium trade agreement, this will become an uncertain factor affecting the evolution of the global enriched uranium trade pattern. (4) Since the United States and France are deeply involved in the global uranium resources trade, both have a higher ability of anti-control and control in GURTNs, which is inseparable from the uranium resource trade strategies of the two countries. The paper concludes by suggesting corresponding policy recommendations that can inform policymakers in formulating relevant trade policies.