Russian Nuclear National Dialogue

GREEN CROSS RUSSIA GREEN CROSS SWITZERLAND GLOBAL GREEN USA RUSSIAN NUCLEAR NATIONAL DIALOGUE ENERGY, SOCIETY, AND SECURITY Moscow, 18–19 april, 2007 Moscow, 2007 This collection presents research and presentations as well as questions and answers from the Russian Nuclear National Dialogue “Energy, Society and Security” organ- ized by Green Cross Russia, Green Cross Switzerland, and Global Green USA on 18-19 April 2007 in Moscow. Participants included representatives of federal and regional organizations, state and public structures, science and project institutes, leaders and specialists of the Russian nuclear fuel cycle complex enterprises, and international representatives participating in the discussion of overcoming the nuclear arms race legacy, nuclear energy development, and alternative and renewable energy sources. In their presentations, the conference speakers offered various options of solving key problems regarding the safe use of nuclear technology. These problems affect state policy development in terms of the ecological safety of the nuclear energy complex. They also affect the process of building public consensus on nuclear energy issues. Organizers: Green Cross International, the Federal Agency for the Atomic Energy (Rosatom), the Rosatom Public Council. Co-organizer: The Elektronika Bank Corporated Enterprise. General Partner: “SOGAZ” Insurance Company. Sponsors: The organizers wish to express their gratitude to the Federal State Uni- tary Enterprise (FSUE), Corporate Group “Rosenergoatom,” Joint Stock Compa- ny (JSC) “TVEL,” FSUE ISK “Rosatomstroy,” the governments of Switzerland, Canada, France, Sweden and Norway, as well as the Trust for Mutual Understand- ing of the USA that provided financial support in conducting this Forum. Special thanks to the editing and translation team are noted on the last page of the book. The presentation texts and research papers that are published in this Dialogue’s collection have been translated and edited into English from original Russian versions, and are the sole opinion of the authors. © Green Cross Russia, 2007 © Green Cross Switzerland, 2007 © Global Green USA, 2007 Nuclear National Dialogue – 2007 Preface In most countries of the world, contemporary economic development leads to a sharp increase in energy needs. At the same time, the limitations of the existing energy sources are becoming all the more noticeable. Some of the major petroleum and natural gas reserves are located in politically unstable regions. Moreover, the growing use of petroleum and natural gas goes against the Kyoto protocol provisions. The use of nuclear energy entails a number of challenges in terms of public ac- ceptability. These challenges include unsolved problems of nuclear waste and the need to create a new nuclear fuel cycle. There are also many ideas for alternative energy sources. However, as of today, they do not present opportunities for large-scale energy production. At the end of the Cold War, the fifty-year old arms race stopped, and a large- scale nuclear conflict was no longer a threat. Faith and hope for a new multipolar world replaced the threat of thousands of nuclear warheads destroying our civilization. The end of this bipolar standoff indeed reduced the risk of a nuclear world war; yet new challenges became more apparent. Today, Russia faces many issues in the nuclear field that have both domestic as well as international implications. How to dismantle nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems? What to do with nuclear waste and how to transport it? What to do with fission materials and how to process them? How can nuclear materials be effectively protected in accordance with the nonproliferation principles? What is the role of the atom in the future of energy? And, possibly, the most central question of them all: how safe is current and Cold War nuclear technology? Following the Kyshtym and the Chernobyl accidents, it became apparent that the right to nuclear and radiation safety and security constitute one of the basic human rights. The issues of safety provisions for the environment and population are now of utmost importance given the mass liquidation of delivery systems and nuclear weapons themselves, and the widespread proliferation of nuclear energy. None of these problems can be solved without the Russian society’s understanding, support, and acknowledgement of the national strategy. On the 18th and 19th of April 2007, a National Dialogue took place in Moscow. It was entitled “Energy, Society and Security.” It was an attempt to reach an agreement and understanding within our society on the issues of nuclear and radiation safety in the territory of the Russian Federation. It was also a discussion on overcoming the Cold War legacy and determining possible methods of safe nuclear energy development. Green Cross Russia Press-Service Nuclear National Dialogue – 2007 Opening Remarks Sergey I. Baranovsky, President, Green Cross Russia I am very pleased to introduce to you the Green Cross / Global Green’s Nuclear National Dialogue. Almost ten years ago, in 1998, Green Cross Russia began an initiative that was completely new to the post-Soviet public: the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. This is not a simple issue to decipher in both economic and social terms, and there have been many contradictions and social pressure in this area. The idea was to bring together representatives from all of the social groups involved in this process in one place at least once a year. First and foremost, there are representatives from the communities where chemical weapons are stored and de- stroyed. Because of the potential dangers, those living in direct proximity to the arsenals and future destruction facilities are clearly not indifferent to what and how these processes will be happening. We have to listen to these people, and make them feel that they are part of this process, by giving them the opportunity to participate in the decision making process. The second group is comprised of the regional and local law-making and in- fluential powers. This would be a governor or a republic president, as well as the regional media. The third sector, which is very important, includes the federal agencies that carry out the Convention’s provisions. They execute the Russian Chemical Weapons Destruc- tion (CWD) program: the planning, building, and good functioning of the chemical weapons destruction facilities. It is also very important to stress that there is a fourth party without which the successful implementation of the Convention would not be possible. We know about the meeting at Kananaskis and the creation of the Global Partnership against the Prolifera- tion of Weapons of Mass Destruction in 2002. We know that many nation-states are aid- ing the Russian Federation with these matters. At this Forum, the states’ representatives have the opportunity to come together not only with the leaders of our country’s federal agencies but also, and most importantly, with the people who live near the arsenals and destruction facilities. We see our task as prompting civilians into action and presenting opportunities for the state agencies to be accountable to society, to hear the public’s comments, and to answer their questions. Our county is transitioning into a civil society, and there are many different social organizations which also take part in overcoming the effects of the Cold War. Our Forum has become a dialogue specifically because the state agencies have responded to the public’s demands and objections. As a result, we see Nuclear National Dialogue – 2007 that in the sphere of CWD, the relationship between the federal government and the regions is becoming less tense, having gone from confrontation to constructive col- laboration. This shift enables Russia to fulfill the CWD program and its international obligations. Contemporary economic development leads to a sharp increase in energy de- mand in most countries of the world. At the same time, the limitations of the current energy sources are becoming more and more noticeable, especially when some of the main petroleum and gas sources are located in politically unstable regions. On the other hand, the increasing use of petroleum and gas goes against the Kyoto Protocol regula- tions, as it can increase global warming. The fact that many states are directing their attention to nuclear energy sources is not coincidental. Due to unsolved problems, such as waste and security issues, the idea of nuclear energy has significant difficulties with public approval. Maybe a new fuel cycle needs to be created. There are many suggestions regarding alternative energy sources. However, they do not provide immediate opportunities for large-scale energy production. On the other hand, the end of the Cold War stopped the 50-year arms race and eliminated the threat of a large-scale nuclear conflict between Russia and the United States. Faith in the new, multi-polar world has altered the idea of thousands of nuclear devices destroying civilization. Although the end of the global standoff has truly diminished the risk of widespread nuclear war, other risks have become more apparent. Today, Russia must solve many nuclear-related problems that have not only domestic but also global implications: How to dismantle nuclear weapons and delivery systems? Where to store nuclear waste and how to transport it? What to do with radioactive substances and how to process them? How to effectively protect nuclear materials in accordance with the nonproliferation principles? What role to give to the atom in the future of energy? In the aftermath of the Kyshtym and Chernobyl disasters, society understood that nuclear and radioactive safety is a basic human right. Environmental and public safety issues are of the utmost importance in the large-scale destruction of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as well as the widespread use of nuclear energy. None of these problems can be resolved without the understanding and support of Russian society, specifically their comprehension and support of the national nuclear energy strategy.

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