Related News
UN affirms action plan on nuclear plant safety
Source: Agencies |
September 23, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE United Nations nuclear agency's 151 member states yesterday endorsed a plan to help strengthen global nuclear safety in the wake of Japan's Fukushima accident, despite criticism from some that it does not go far enough.
The annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna approved by consensus the plan prepared by the office of IAEA director general Yukiya Amano.
Japan's IAEA envoy, Takeshi Nakane, told the meeting: "In order to further strengthen global nuclear safety, this action plan will need to be implemented in a prompt and most effective manner through concrete measures."
After the huge earthquake and massive tsunami struck on March 11, reactor fuel rods at the Japanese plant began melting down as power and cooling functions failed, causing radiation leakage and forcing the evacuation of 80,000 people.
The action plan, outlining a series of voluntary measures intended to help prevent a repeat of such an accident anywhere in the world, was cleared by the IAEA's 35--nation governing board last week, also by consensus.
But the board's debate underlined divisions between states seeking stronger international commitments and others wanting safety to remain an issue strictly for national authorities.
The Fukushima reactor disaster in March spurred a rethink about nuclear energy worldwide and prompted calls for more concerted measures, including stricter safety checks on reactors.
One group of nations - including Germany, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada and Denmark - has voiced disappointment the final version of the IAEA's plan is not stronger.
Canadian Ambassador John Barrett told the conference: "We often hear it said that the sovereign states alone have the responsibility for assuring the safety of their nuclear installations."
But he added: "They also have the responsibility to assure their neighbors and others in the international community that their use of nuclear energy is safe. Nuclear accidents, should they occur, do not respect state boundaries in their consequences."
The US, India, China and Pakistan were among countries stressing the responsibility of national authorities and opposing moves toward mandatory outside safety inspections.
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the conference Washington supported implementation of the plan "to address lessons learned from Fukushima."
He added: "We must, however, maintain the central role of national regulators and plant operators in achieving safety objectives."
The annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna approved by consensus the plan prepared by the office of IAEA director general Yukiya Amano.
Japan's IAEA envoy, Takeshi Nakane, told the meeting: "In order to further strengthen global nuclear safety, this action plan will need to be implemented in a prompt and most effective manner through concrete measures."
After the huge earthquake and massive tsunami struck on March 11, reactor fuel rods at the Japanese plant began melting down as power and cooling functions failed, causing radiation leakage and forcing the evacuation of 80,000 people.
The action plan, outlining a series of voluntary measures intended to help prevent a repeat of such an accident anywhere in the world, was cleared by the IAEA's 35--nation governing board last week, also by consensus.
But the board's debate underlined divisions between states seeking stronger international commitments and others wanting safety to remain an issue strictly for national authorities.
The Fukushima reactor disaster in March spurred a rethink about nuclear energy worldwide and prompted calls for more concerted measures, including stricter safety checks on reactors.
One group of nations - including Germany, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada and Denmark - has voiced disappointment the final version of the IAEA's plan is not stronger.
Canadian Ambassador John Barrett told the conference: "We often hear it said that the sovereign states alone have the responsibility for assuring the safety of their nuclear installations."
But he added: "They also have the responsibility to assure their neighbors and others in the international community that their use of nuclear energy is safe. Nuclear accidents, should they occur, do not respect state boundaries in their consequences."
The US, India, China and Pakistan were among countries stressing the responsibility of national authorities and opposing moves toward mandatory outside safety inspections.
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the conference Washington supported implementation of the plan "to address lessons learned from Fukushima."
He added: "We must, however, maintain the central role of national regulators and plant operators in achieving safety objectives."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
