Expansion of Nuclear Power and the Challenges of Non-Proliferation A Commentary to Recent Developments and Regulatory Initiatives

Källa: http://www.cefos.gu.se/aktuellt/aktuelltdetalj/?eventId=1770657888

This seminar is part of a multidisciplinary research effort that focuses various issues around nuclear energy, waste and weaponry. It is included in the University of Gothenburg Global Week 2010.

The spring of 2010 presented no less than three top-level nuclear power meetings: the new START Treaty that was signed by the US President Barack Obama and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague on April 8th, President Obama's Global Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC on April 10-13, and the NPT review conference on May 3-28 in New York. It is thus very timely to bring about an open-minded exchange of views on the various prerequisites and challenges that nuclear power expansion implies for economic and sustainable development and non-proliferation. In these circumstances the seminar offers a discussion in an academic setting with representatives from the research community, industry and relevant international organisations. The main task of the seminar is to reflect upon what was discussed and decided/not discussed or decided at the spring meetings.

The seminar is co-organized by the two multidisciplinary research milieus Centre for European Research at University of Gothenburg (CERGU) and Center for Public Sector Research (CEFOS). It is part of a multidisciplinary research effort that focuses various issues around nuclear energy, waste and weaponry. The following examples of previous achievements could illustrate our aims and ambitions: the international seminar Security, Prosperity and Community. Towards a Common European Energy Policy, which was held on December 7th 2006 and resulted in a special issue in Energy Policy, guest-edited by U. Strandberg (vol. 38, issue 3, 2010); the special issue "Nuclear Waste Management in a Globalised World", guest-edited by U. Strandberg & M. Andrén, published in the Journal of Risk Research, (vol. 12, issues 7-8, 2009); and the international research conference Managing Radioactive Waste. Problems and Challenges in a Globalizing World, December 15-17, that included more than 100 participants from 17 countries.