19-12-2012, 05:44 PM
Public understanding of radioactive waste management issues:
Perspectives and the IAEA's role
1Public understanding o.pdf (Size: 657.18 KB / Downloads: 175)
Introduction
Nuclear energy development is at the crossroads and,
in fact, has been so for many years now. The industry
is in a dilemma because of the changed public attitude
over the years on the nuclear issue. Five divergent views
affecting public opinion can be identified, namely
wholly negative, negative, middle, partially positive,
and positive. Any worthwhile debate on this issue has to
objectively assess these divergent views.
The dilemma of the nuclear industry is a travesty of
facts and difficult to fathom. This comparatively new
technology has brought many benefits, not only for
power production but in the applications of isotopes.
Moreover, new safety culture has been brought into our
industrial way of life. The technologies are well proven
and have established an excellent safety record. The economics
of nuclear power (in spite of all the additional
built-in safety features) can be compared favourably
with any alternate energy systems, if the same basic
assumptions for comparisons are used. The number of
deaths and effects calculated to have been caused to
people as a result of normal nuclear operations, incidents,
and accidents have been far below those from
other human industrial endeavours. (See accompanying
table.) The nuclear industry's safety record is continually
improving.
IAEA activities
Public understanding is the key to public acceptance,
and communication to the right audience is the all important
bridge between the two. To achieve this, it is necessary
to translate and communicate the technical solutions
in an understandable way to the public and provide an
opportunity to interested individuals and groups to give
their views.
The social and ethical issues involved and public
acceptance of the technical solutions developed for the
safe management of radioactive wastes are important
areas needing wider discussion and dissemination of
information. The credibility of the technical community
is increasingly being questioned by the public, media,
and some political groups. To counteract this, there is a
growing consensus in the technical community that
clear, honest, credible, and understandable information
must be made available to the public and media regarding
the real situation of the safety of radioactive waste
management operations. This is considered a prerequisite
for further development of nuclear power and
enhanced applications of radioisotopes for medical,
research, industrial, and other uses.
Scope of the IAEA's future work
Based on recommendations it has received, the IAEA
is continuing to assess the role it should play in public
information activities. Areas of possible activity may
include greater involvement with public information
specialists in the member countries and provide them, if
they so desire, with specially prepared materials. The
Agency can provide such information directly to journalists,
environmentalists, and elected officials with
international and/or broad national constituencies. Joint
publication of public information documents with other
United Nations agencies, particularly the World Health
Organization, would add further legitimacy to the
Agency's documents.
Follow-up actions
The recommendations given by the senior consultants
and advisory groups, and the possibilities for IAEA
initiatives, are extensive and will be considered within
the context of the Agency's programme and human and
financial resources. The IAEA's involvement will be
based on a careful selection of what it can and should do
to be optimally effective to the needs of Member States.
It is hoped that the future initiatives in this important
field will be of benefit to all Member States.