Three Countries Commit to Safe, Secure and Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology - International Atomic Energy Agency
Three Countries Commit to Safe, Secure and Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology | IAEA
At the annual Treaty Event on the sidelines of the 67th regular session of the IAEA General Conference today, three countries pledged their commitment to nuclear safety, security, and the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Belarus, Egypt, and Zimbabwe all deposited legal instruments to become a party to various multilateral treaties under IAEA auspices, which cover a spectrum of subjects aiming to bolster global nuclear safety and security as well as enabling the development of nuclear science and technology.
This year, Belarus ratified the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM), Egypt ratified the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), and Zimbabwe delivered the following six instruments at once: the instruments of accession to the CNS, the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, the Joint Protocol Relating to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris Convention, as well as the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, and instruments of acceptance of the Amendment to the CPPNM and of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“The annual Treaty event is a vivid example of our expressed commitment to multilateralism. In the world of nuclear activities, we need certainty. Ambiguity is not a good idea when it comes to nuclear materials, when it comes to nuclear reactors, and when it comes to nuclear relations. Especially when this concept seems to be under so much strain, we have to commit ourselves to the legal norms that provide for universalization,” said Mr Grossi.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.