ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

NUCLEAR ENERGY
PREDICAMENT

SPECPOL

emissions hundreds of billions of tones of

carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. In
2002, carbon equivalent emission from
human activity was about 6,500 million

HISTORY AND DISCUSSION OF THE

PROBLEM

tones per year; these emissions will probably

more than double by 2050. As greenhouse

All life on earth depends in some

gases accumulate in the atmosphere, finding

way upon energy. Energy is directly linked

ways to generate power cleanly, affordably,

to well-being and prosperity across the

and reliably is becoming an even more

globe. There are seven billion people on

pressing imperative. After a decades-long

earth who use energy each day to make their

slowdown,

lives richer, more productive, safer and

dominates the global energy debate. Dozens

healthier. It is perhaps the biggest driver of

of countries are vying to join the nuclear

energy demand: the human desire to sustain

power club and hundreds of new reactors are

and improve the well-being of themselves,

on the drawing board. As the global appetite

their families and their communities. In

for electricity grows, atomic power -- which

developing countries, energy demand will

scarcely pollutes, generates relatively little

grow close to 60 percent as five-sixths of the

solid waste, and is far more efficient than

worlds population strives to improve their

the alternatives -- is being embraced. The

living standards. In 2040, global energy

nuclear option retains, precisely because it is

demand will be about 30 percent higher

an important carbon-free source of power

compared to 2010 as economic output more

that can potentially make a significant

than doubles and prosperity expands across

contribution to future electricity supply.

nuclear

power

once

again

a world whose population will grow to

Another reason for thinking about

nearly nine billion people; outstrip the

the nuclear option is national security. The

ability of the earth to regenerate its stores of

dependence of the developed world on oil

energy.

from the Middle East, an unstable region of

Over the next 50 years, unless

patterns

change

dramatically,

the world, has long presented a risk to the

energy

economies of the United States and other

production and use will contribute to global

countries that depend on imported oil, such

warming through large scale greenhouse gas

as Japan, Germany, and France. In general,

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

SPECPOL

this dependence is linked principally to fuel

supply would decline as existing reactors are

for the transportation sector, but many other

retired.

countries rely on oil for significant power

There are several reasons why

generation. Nuclear power offers one option

nuclear power has not met the expectations

for reducing this dependence.

for

capacity

growth

projected

several

In 2000 nuclear power produced

decades ago. One factor is that the public

about 17% of the worlds electricity from

perception of nuclear energy is unfavorable,

442 commercial reactors in 31 countries.

in part due to concern about effects of

The

largest

radiation that the public associates with

deployment, with 104 operating reactors

nuclear energy. More importantly, the

producing 20% of the countrys electricity,

adverse impression derives from real and

followed

unique

United

States

by France,

has

the

Japan,

Germany,

Russia, and South Korea. The reliability of

problems

presented

by

this

technology. These problems are:

these plants has improved considerably in

recent years (for example, capacity factors

Cost

of U.S. nuclear reactors have achieved

In particular, the rapid rate of nuclear

90%), and many will have their originally

reactor expansion required to make even a

expected

modest reduction in global warming would

operating

lives

extended

significantly.

drive up construction costs and create

Despite the strong rationale for

reducing greenhouse gas emissions that

shortages in building materials, trained

personnel, and safety controls.

contribute to global warming, for meeting

Nuclear power has higher overall

increasing demand for electricity, and for

lifetime costs compared to natural gas with

improving the national security aspects of

combined cycle turbine technology and coal.

energy supply, the official forecasts call for

Most

a mere 5% increase in nuclear electricity

economical to operate when costs going

generating capacity worldwide by 2020,

forward are considered, i.e. when sunk

while electricity use could grow by as much

capital and construction costs are ignored.

as

significant

However, new plants appear to be more

investments are not made, nuclear power

expensive than alternate sources of base load

75%.

After

2020,

if

operating

nuclear

plants

are

generation, notably coal and natural gas

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

SPECPOL

fired electricity generation, when both

increased substantially. The 1999 accident at

capital and operating costs are taken into

the Tokai-Mura plant underscored safety

account.

concerns about the nuclear fuel cycle outside

Coal

plants

have

capital

costs

of the reactor.

intermediate between those of gas and

There

is

also

concern

about

nuclear. Even with SO2 and NOx controls

transportation of nuclear materials and waste

that meet U.S. new source performance

management. The September 11, 2001

standards, new coal plants are widely

terrorist attack on the World Trade Center

perceived to be less costly than nuclear

and the Pentagon have heightened concerns

plants. However, if CO2 emissions were in

about the vulnerability of nuclear power

the future to become subject to control and a

stations and other facilities, especially spent

significant price placed on emissions, i.e.

fuel storage pools, to terrorist attack. There

carbon tax or an equivalent cap and trade

is concern about radiation exposure of

mechanism, the relative

citizens and workers

economics

from

could

become

much

more

activities

of

the industry
despite

good

regulation
and

favorable to nuclear power.

health

Nuclear power stations operations around the world. Graphic by Jenny Ridley

records. There are significant environmental

Safety
Nuclear power has perceived adverse
safety, environmental, and health effects.
After the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the 1986

impacts, ranging from long-term waste

disposal to the handling and disposal of
toxic chemical wastes associated with the
nuclear fuel cycle.

accident at Chernobyl in the Soviet Union,

public

concern

about

reactor

safety

Proliferation

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

Nuclear

power

entails

SPECPOL

potential

reach of international terrorism. Radiation

security risks, notably the possible misuse of

exposure from spent fuel that is not

commercial or associated nuclear facilities

reprocessed is a strong, but not certain,

and operations to acquire technology or

barrier to theft and misuse.

materials as a precursor to the acquisition of

a nuclear weapons capability.

Waste

The possibility exists that nations

Nuclear

power

has

unresolved

wishing to acquire or enhance a nuclear

challenges in long-term management of

weapons capability will use commercial

radioactive wastes. If nuclear energy is to

nuclear power as a source of technological

enjoy a sustained renaissance, the challenge

know-how or nuclear weapons usable

of managing nuclear waste for thousands of

material, notably plutonium. Although this

years must be met. Nuclear energy is

has not proved to be the preferred pathway

generated by splitting uranium, leaving

to

the

behind dangerous radioactive products, such

possession of a complete nuclear fuel cycle,

as cesium and strontium, that presents health

including

fabrication,

and environmental risks that persist for tens

reprocessing,

of thousands of years. The process also

certainly moves any nation closer to

produces transuranic elements, such as

obtaining such a capability. The key step for

plutonium, which are heavier than uranium,

achieving nuclear weapons capability is

do not occur in nature, and must be isolated

acquisition of sufficient weapons-usable

for millennia. There is an alternative to

fissionable material, either high-enriched

disposing of transuranic elements: they can

uranium or plutonium.

be separated from the reactor fuel every few

nuclear

reactor

weapons

capability,

enrichment,
operation,

fuel
and

Unfortunately, reprocessing of spent

years and then recycled into new nuclear

fuel for the fuel cycle operation in Europe,

reactor fuel as an additional energy source.

Russia,

and

accumulation

Japan
of

has

about

led
200

to

the

The downside, however, is that this process

tones

of

is complex and expensive, and it poses a

separated plutonium. The associated

proliferation risk since plutonium can be

risks have been viewed with increased alarm

used in nuclear weapons. The debate over

since the 9/11 events that demonstrated the

the merits of recycling transuranic elements

has yet to be resolved. Since these

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SPECPOL

radioactive wastes present some danger to

materials or facilities in any nation could

present and future generations, the public

result in acquisition of nuclear explosives by

and its elected representatives, as well as

a rogue state or terrorist group for use in

prospective investors in nuclear power

another nation. The Chernobyl accident

plants, properly expect continuing and

demonstrated the potential for radioactivity

substantial progress towards solution to the

to spread across borders and thus the

waste disposal problem.

importance

of

uniformly

high

safety

standards and advanced safety technologies

The potential impacts on the public
from safety or waste management failure
and

the

link

nuclear

as

western

reactor

containment

designs).

explosives

Nuclear powers value as a carbon-

technology are unique to nuclear energy

free electricity supply technology has also

among

generally

energy

to

(such

supply

options.

These

not

been

recognized

in

characteristics and the fact that nuclear is

government policies. Government policies

more costly, make it impossible today to

have focused on targeting renewable energy

make a credible case for the immediate

resources

expanded use of nuclear power.

improvements through a combination of

Inevitably, there will be a high

and

end-use

efficiency

direct subsidies, tax subsidies, renewable

degree of government involvement in

energy

nuclear power, even in market economies, to

efficiency standards, and other second

regulate safety, waste, and proliferation risk.

best mechanisms to promote carbon-free

This is, in itself, another challenge for

supply technologies and to reduce electricity

nuclear

demand. Nuclear power has generally been

variation

power.
in

There
how

is

considerable

different

countries

approach the issues of safety, proliferation,

and

waste

management.

This

portfolio

standards,

appliance

excluded from these programs.

While the European Union will

often

introduce a carbon dioxide emissions trading

complicates the role of governments in

system in a few years, countries have not yet

setting international rules especially for

turned to broad policies to internalize the

preventing proliferation, but also for safety

social costs of carbon emissions that would

and waste management that serve common

provide incentives for investment in all

interests. Poor safeguarding of nuclear

carbon free electricity supply or energy

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

SPECPOL

efficiency technologies, including nuclear

to their nuclear programs. In the last decade,

power. Thus nuclear power does not

however, it began experiencing something

compete on a level playing field and, from

of a renaissance. Concerns about climate

this

change and air pollution, as well as growing

perspective,

is

presently

being

discriminated against in policies designed to

demand

for

electricity,

led

many

respond to the challenge of reducing carbon

governments to reconsider their aversion to

dioxide emissions.

nuclear power, which emits little carbon

Given the difficulties that confront

dioxide and had built up an impressive

nuclear power, the effort required to

safety and reliability record. Some countries

overcome them is justified only if nuclear

reversed their phase-out of nuclear power,

power potentially can make a significant

some extended the lifetimes of existing

impact on the major challenges of global

warming, electric supply, and security. That
is, for nuclear power to merit strategic focus
and sustaining actions on the part of
government,

there

must

also

be

commitment to significant expansion of

nuclear power that will sustain and perhaps
modestly increase its share of global
electricity generation, even as use of

Workers wearing protective suits and masks constructing

water tanks at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

electricity multiplies.
reactors, and many developed plans for new
ones. Today, roughly 60 nuclear plants are
under construction worldwide, which will
add about 60,000 megawatts of generating
capacity -- equivalent to a sixth of the
CURRENT SITUATION

world's current nuclear power capacity.

In the years following the major

But the movement lost momentum in

accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and

March, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake

Chernobyl in 1986, nuclear power fell out of

and the massive tsunami it triggered

favor, and some countries applied the brakes

devastated Japan's Fukushima nuclear power

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

SPECPOL

plant. It marked the first time that an

States, an already slow approach to new

external event led to a major release of

nuclear plants slowed even further in the

radioactivity from a nuclear power plant.

face of an unanticipated abundance of

The 14-meter-high wave was more than

natural gas. China, which accounts for about

twice the height that Fukushima was

40 percent of current nuclear power plant

designed to withstand, and it left the flooded

construction, and India, Russia, and South

plant cut off from external logistical support

Korea, which together account for another

and from its power supply, which is needed

40 percent, show no signs of backing away

to cool the reactor and pools of spent fuel.

from their pushes for nuclear power.

Three reactors were severely damaged,

At the same time, new reactors under

suffering at least partial fuel meltdowns and

construction in Finland and France have

releasing radiation at a level only a few

gone billions of dollars over budget, casting

times less than Chernobyl. Just four years

doubt on the affordability of nuclear power

ago, the world's largest nuclear generating

plants. Public concern about radioactive

station,

shut

waste is also hindering nuclear power, and

down by an earthquake that shook the plant

no country yet has a functioning system for

beyond what it was designed to handle, and

disposing of it. No nation has successfully

three of the seven reactors there remain idle

demonstrated a disposal system for these

today. These events caused widespread

nuclear wastes. Finland has decided on a

public doubts about the safety of nuclear

path to manage spent fuel, and the United

power to resurface.

States has decided to proceed with licensing

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa,

was

Germany announced an accelerated

of

Yucca

Mountain

as

geological

shutdown of its nuclear reactors, with broad

repository. In fact, the U.S. government is

public support, and Japan made a similar

paying billions of dollars in damages to

declaration, perhaps with less conviction.

utility companies for failing to meet its

Their decisions were made easier thanks to

obligations to remove spent fuel from

the fact that electricity demand has flagged

reactor sites. Many of the discussions

during the worldwide economic slowdown

surrounding alternative reactors and fuel

and the fact that global regulation to limit

cycles are motivated by a desire to reduce

climate change seems less imminent now

high-level waste management challenges.

than it did a decade ago. In the United

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Some observers are also concerned

power for other reasonsbecause it can

that the spread of civilian nuclear energy

help the country solve its chronic failure to

infrastructure could lead to the proliferation

supply

of nuclear weapons -- a problem exemplified

burgeoning economy. Some of the Southeast

by Iran's uranium-enrichment program. If

Asia countries like Indonesia and Vietnam

countries such as Iran are able to enrich

are planning to acquire nuclear power in

uranium to make new reactor fuel and

near term, followed by Malaysia, Thailand,

separate out the plutonium to recover its

and Philippines plans to adopt nuclear power

energy value, they then have access to the

in the long term.

the

electricity

needed

for

relevant technology and material for a

weapons program. Safeguards agreements
with

the

International Atomic

Europe

Energy

There is considerable anti-nuclear

Agency are intended to make sure that

sentiment in Europe: Belgium, Germany, the

civilian programs do not spill over into

Netherlands, and Sweden are officially

military ones, but the agency has only a

committed to phasing out nuclear power

limited

gradually. On the other hand, France still

ability

to

address

clandestine

programs.

continuing its reliance towards nuclear

energy that supply 80% electricity generated

BLOC POSITIONS

in the country; and planning to improve its

Asia and Pacific

units to meet the demand of environment

There is public opposition to nuclear

and health safety. Thirty percent of Finland

power in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea,

electricity is derived from nuclear reactors,

although several countries like India are still

and the country is the first in the world to

on a path to construct new operating units

develop permanent disposal site for its

and China may yet commit to substantial

domestic nuclear waste.

new

nuclear

plant

construction.

That

expansion is a major part of Chinas plans to

Middle East

decrease the reliance on coal. South Korea

Iran has been developing a latent

has long relied on nuclear power to provide

nuclear weapons capability through an

the cheap electricity that helped build its

enrichment program. International concern

miracle economy. India is embracing nuclear

over the possibility that Iran will use its

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SPECPOL

emergent nuclear infrastructure for military

Canada is a leading provider of

purpose centers on its separate fuel cycle

reactor technology in the world market.

facility, not the operating Bushehr reactor

However, Canada is a world leader on

that constructed under Russian assistance.

strengthening

The United Arab Emirates has plans to

proliferation regime. The United States of

develop commercial nuclear capacity in the

America is the worlds largest generator of

near future to meet its burgeoning energy

nuclear power, deriving nearly 20% of its

demand. Some countries in the region like

electricity from over 100 nuclear reactors.

Israel, Turkey, Jordan, and Bahrain has also

Mexico, Brazil, and Argentine has 2 nuclear

considered to build its own nuclear reactor.

reactor, and planned to construct new units.

the

international

non

However, unless Israel sign the NPT, the

country will be unable to access the
international civilian nuclear market, due to

POINTS A RESOLUTION SHOULD

assumption that the country will produce

COVER

material for its undeclared nuclear weapon

Emphasizing the usage of nuclear
energy for civilian purposes rather than
military usage;

program.
Africa
South Africa currently possess two
nuclear reactors the only commercial ones
on African continent to generate 5% of
countrys

electricity.

In

2007,

the

government of Egypt announced that it

would revive its pursuit of nuclear energy
for electricity and desalination. This interest
also being shown by some countries in the
continent

like

Tunisia,

Morocco,

and

Algeria, who have signed the nuclear

agreement.
America

Determination of the most efficient

energy resource to be used by nations
for significant purposes such as
generating electricity;
Recognition of the energy resource with
least amount of damage to both human
kind and the environment;
If nuclear energy would be found as the
optimal energy resource to be used,
what is the reasoning behind this
judgment should be underlined?
If nuclear energy would be found as the
optimal energy resource to be used, then
the risks that nuclear energy generates
should be eliminated;
The risk factors that the nuclear energy
generates should be analyzed

ALSA Model United Nations 2013STUDY GUIDE

separately
(i.e.
accidents,
environmental degradation);
The regulation of the nuclear power
plants should be well inquired and
investigated;
Functional international bodies should
be further consolidated regarding the
regulation problem of the nuclear
centrals;
The nuclear proliferation probability of
nations should be well researched and
the precautions should be taken;
The ways to eliminate different types of
nuclear waste should be mentioned in
the resolution.
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