Mission Viejo High School Model United Nations 30th Annual Conference “Initium Novum”
Nuclear Safety
Hello delegates, and welcome to the IAEA, the beautiful wonderland of nuclear weapons. My name is Vamsi Mokkapati, and I will be your Vice Chair the first day and your Head Chair the second day of our conference. I am a junior at Mission Viejo High, and something you should know about me: I am an lively figure. I have been often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to enhance nuclear reactors during my lunch breaks, making them safer and more efficient to use. Occasionally, I take a leave, mentally relax, and Gangnam Style three days in a row. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I invest in stocks efficiently. I woo women with my sensuous and god-like violin playing. I cook Thirty Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in Krav Maga, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.
Using a paperclip, duct tape, and an especially sturdy stick, I once single-handedly defended a village in rural India from a horde of ferocious chimpanzees. When I’m bored, I build large fighter robots in my backyard. I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless perfectionist. I don’t perspire. I know the exact location of every item in the supermarket. I sleep once a week, and when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life, but forgot to write it down. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.
But I still have yet to chair you guys at the 2013 Mission Viejo Model UN conference.
I. Background of Topic
Nuclear safety “covers the actions taken to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents or to limit their consequences.” It has been a key concern to the global community ever since the inception of nuclear power plants to provide energy to cities; an accident caused by a natural disaster or other outside force could result in harmful radioactive emission of beta and gamma particles killing numerous people. The international community does realize the hazardous consequences that entail the building of nuclear power plants, and many precautions such as backup systems are built into all of the world’s reactors. However, mistakes do happen, as is evidenced by the accident at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant in Japan; backup systems have been securely built, but the flooding of the emergency rooms disabled them. Although it is inevitable natural disasters occur, and it is not possible to imagine every scenario that might occur to design a preventative measure, the Fukushima nuclear disaster cost many their lives, and the global opinion is changing regarding the benefits of building these reactors. Therefore it is imperative the global community act to further enhance protective measures.
Another problem hindering nuclear safety is that power plants are natural targets to nations when in military action. For instance, during the 1980 war with Iraq, Iran, in Operation Scorch Sword, bombed the Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex in order to weaken the country overall, and to massively decimate the Iraqi population. Similarly, Israel has bombed Syrian and Iraqi reactors Mission Viejo High School Model United Nations 30th Annual Conference “Initium Novum” to weaken a nation during turmoil. This problem has to be addressed to terminate the destruction of global population.
II. UN Involvement
The United Nations has attempted to solve this problem by creating the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, or NPT. This treaty is an international treatise so nations agree to use nuclear power safely. However, there are some nations who officially use nuclear power, but did not sign the treaty, such as India, Pakistan, and DPRK. Nations such as Iran and Israel do not officially report possession, but are highly suspected of harnessing and using nuclear power. Many nations also have their own rules and regulations when coming to nuclear safety. The United States has the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to help facilitate government research on weapon production. Similar initiatives are found in the UK, Australia, and China.
III.Possible Solutions
The United Nations could offer an initiative, or a plan to improve certain safety features of power plants, such as a more effective back up system. In addition, an international conference between the nations who didn’t sign the NPT to resolve the differences of interpretation in the treaty’s terms could prove beneficial, if they decide to modify their views.
IV.Bloc Positions
All nations support the increasing of nuclear safety to protect their population from radiation damage that can happen from accidents. However, nations such as India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel (supposedly), and Iran (supposedly) have differing views regarding the NPT, which can regulate and improve safety standards within international nuclear power plants. The Antarctic Bloc, however, wants safety restrictions to be lessened, and asserts that penguins grow into destructive tyrants under the influence of excess radiation, and may have the potential to take over the world if exposed.
V. Guiding Questions
1. What more precautions can power plants take to avoid accidents that have to do with natural disasters, especially around coasts? 2. How can the use of nuclear power plants as targets be internationally discouraged? 3. How can the United Nations ratify the NPT to accommodate nations like India, Pakistan, or 4. North Korea? 5. What actions can the IAEA take to make the Israel/Iran situation less dangerous?
VI. Works Cited
1. "International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." Nuclear Safety and Security. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.