Publication Laka-library:
An Overview of the Historical Experience of Nuclear Energy and Society in 20 countries
| Author | HoNest, Jan-Henrik Meyer |
 |
6-01-0-20-133.pdf |
| Date | March 2017 |
| Classification | 6.01.0.20/133 (IMPORTANCE WORLDWIDE) |
| Front |
From the publication:
An Overview of the Historical Experience of Nuclear Energy and Society in 20 countries Summaries of the Historical Research based on 20 Short Country Reports March 2017 Jan-Henrik Meyer HoNESt Workpackage Manager Dissemination and Engagement University of Copenhagen j.h.meyer@hum.ku.dk What were the preliminary findings? first: civil society and public debate Civil society and public debate engaged very differently with nuclear technology. While some countries saw the rise of strong anti-nuclear movements with mass demonstrations, in other countries opposition was muted. The authoritarian regimes of Southern and Communist Eastern Europe thwarted anti-nuclear protest as they did the development of civil society. Protest was strongly connected to a lack of trust in the technology and the state, with lasting consequences. second: perceptions of nuclear power Perceptions of nuclear power and its economics differed drastically: Since the Atoms for Peace Programme of the 1950s, nuclear industry has represented its technology as modern, inexpensive, reliable, safe and even a green way of generating electricity. For politicians, security of energy supply and reducing import dependency mattered a great deal. By contrast, since the 1970s, media and environmentalists have criticized the higher costs, potential risks to the environment and to democracy, and the long-term consequences of nuclear technology. Often they have promoted alternative sources of energy. third: politics mattered Where parties and political systems were divided such as in Austria or Denmark, it proved impossible to introduce nuclear power, despite the lack of alternative energy sources available at the time. In other countries, notably France, the UK or Sweden, mainstream parties’ commitment to nuclear technology ensured its continued development, even when issues of cost overruns or waste management suggested a ‘go-slow’ approach. However, these findings constitute the first conclusions concerning a highly complex issue. Please take a look across the country studies and judge for yourself what you consider the most important lessons! If you are interested to learn more about the country reports, check: www.honest2020.eu/deliverables Austria Lithuania East Germany / GDR Sweden Denmark Portugal Hungary USA Belarus Netherlands West Germany / FRG United Kingdom Finland Russia Italy Bulgaria Greece Ukraine France Spain