Global Issues of Nuclear Energy - Essay Example

Essay-Global Issues The world is progressing at a very fast space where man has now reached the moon and na chnology is used in new scientific innovations. The earth has an abundant supply of energy itself, but sooner or later this energy is going to be completely consumed because of the fast pace at which the world population is growing and increasing energy demands. Nuclear energy is an alternate source of energy that is being brought into use by the global community to tackle the issue of the energy crisis. This research paper discusses how the generation of nuclear energy is harmful to the society when carelessly dealt with. The main focus is how past nuclear accidents have occurred and their impact. It also discusses possible solutions and ways through which nuclear accidents can be prevented. Globally, the issue of nuclear energy and the use of power generated from it, is a debatable topic. There are countries that oppose the utilization of nuclear energy while there are others that have accepted it and are using nuclear energy to counter the energy crisis. “Seventy nuclear reactors are under construction worldwide. Twenty-seven of those are in China, ten are in Russia, and six are in India. With few exceptions, these new reactors are of the large light water type that dominate today’s commercial fleet, producing roughly 75% of the electricity in France, 20% in the United States, 18% in the United Kingdom, and 17% in Germany” (Abdulla and Morgan). This points out that the super powers of the world are major players in the shifting economy towards nuclear power as a source of energy to counter the energy crisis. The strategy of using nuclear energy as an alternate energy source is being considered by the Middle East where Bahrain intended to have nuclear by the year 2017 but then later dropped the plan due to difficulties in completing the plan (Colombo 187). Iran, however is in the lime light these days for trying to attain nuclear power as a way of energy source and has faced many sanctions and restrictions from the western community. Iran claims that the uranium it will use in the centrifuges is for the purpose of energy generation but the world seems to think that it will be for the generation of a nuclear weapon and hence bring about global harm (The Economist). This brief insight provides a picture of the ongoing trend of using nuclear energy as a source to tackle power crisis and sheds the light on the issue regarding how far the world is progressing. The benefits of nuclear energy are numerous because it is cheap and does not pose much threat to the environment as compared to the burning of natural carbon emission which has resulted in global warming and is now speeding up the process of the warming and the negative effects associated with it. However, the issue of using nuclear energy is not very easy because history has proven time and time again that small mistakes can cause big accidents. Talking about the downside of nuclear energy, there is a very strong chance of radioactive material contaminating the resources of public use. In over six decades , only three major nuclear accidents have occurred which points to the fact that if handled with the right precaution and care, then generation of electrical power through nuclear energy is a very good idea but there is still a strong chance of accidents which can lead to disastrous results. Fukushima in Japan, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island are examples of nuclear reactor disasters which led the world to rethink regarding the use of nuclear energy to fulfill its requirement. The Three Mile Island accident that occurred in the USA back in 1979 had no environmental effects and the radiation was controlled except for the reactor being contaminated. In 1986, in Chernobyl Ukraine the reactor caught fire and exploded which led to massive environmental radiation and the fire and resulted in killing thirty one people. The death toll has then increased up to fifty six due to the harmful effects of the radiations. Fukushima in Japan is the latest accident related to the nuclear power plants which followed a major tsunami and earthquake. The four reactors underwent dysfunction and led to the contamination of the atmosphere and hence harming the general public (World Nuclear Association). The global community is impacted on equal levels if there is a radiation contamination. In the Fukushima reactor accident, the tsunami caused destruction and Sendai that is also located in Japan had to go through the destructive effects. Not only this, but there have been small scale accidents and nuclear spills throughout the years which even if do not directly pose a threat to the public, are very threatening to the environment (Rogers). Iran trying to get hands on the enriched uranium and the sanctions laid upon it is one such example of how important the issue of nuclear energy being provided in safe hands is. The world after the Soviet fall entered into a nuclear era where major nuclear heads dealt and handled the nuclear power agenda. Now, other countries are joining in the race as well, even though the five major nuclear heads are very careful in nuclear dealings with one another. Nuclear energy indirectly also means a nuclear weapon can be generation and thus, this can prove lethal to the world or enemies of the particular states that have acquired nuclear energy. Iran in the Middle East is the country trying to avoid sanctions and go ahead with its nuclear program which will help in countering its energy crisis, but the global community is opposing it because there is a threat of Iran generating a nuclear weapon instead and attacking Israel (The Economist). This is how dealings in nuclear power and energy are interconnected and one wrong move can impact the whole world. United States of America has had many small nuclear incidents and after the Fukushima accident in 2011 there are inspections by the NRC to check and eliminate any risk factors, which is a great step in providing a safer environment for the people to live in and feel secure (Union of Concerned Scientists). Middle East is a rich oil producing heaven and there are not many nuclear power reactors in the continent to begin with unlike the western world. The GCC countries are heavily dependent on oil and fossil fuel for their economy to flourish and for many years GCC and the EU trade mainly in fossil fuels and oil. EU is more nuclear oriented as well but it is seen that the GCC is also aiming to establish grounds in the nuclear world with the latest one being the Iran nuclear program which has gotten a lot of negative feedback from the entire western world and has supporters from the eastern world (Colombo, 157-158). Many countries opted out of the nuclear agreement because of the cost and sustaining issues. There is also a very important issue of maintaining nuclear waste. Bahrain opted out of the nuclear program which it claimed to have finished by the year 2017 and it is estimated that from 2030 it will produce 5% to 7% of its energy from renewable resources which will help in tackling Bahrain energy crisis (Colombo, 194). The decision of Bahrain to not go forward with the nuclear program is commendable for now because it is better to have proper maintenance staff and waste deposit system before initiating something such big of a program. It needs to see the economic stability of it as well and needs to keep in mind that it should be capable enough in the face of a nuclear reactor disaster and not end up like Ukraine or Fukushima. In conclusion, generation of energy by using nuclear power means such as uranium and other radioactive material is a step we have to take in the near future. Friends of the earth that is a campaign aimed to counter the building of nuclear reactors and opposes the nuclear energy is now changing its point of view by stating that nuclear stations are time consuming (Harrabin). This points out that nuclear energy as s power mean for the future is inevitable and Bahrain plus other Middle Eastern companies need to step in the game sooner or later because oil production is not going to last forever and the natural resources will eventually finish. Every country of the world then has to look for an alternative fuel source and nuclear energy seems a very possible alternate for now. Bahrain in the future needs to state a clear guideline of power energy sources because even its own natural resources are going to die out soon. Bahrain has looked into small scale possibility of harnessing energy through solar or wind resources but this is just a small step towards countering its energy problems. The only wind turbines in Bahrain as of now are located in the Bahrain world trade center but the future seems to be promising under the present government (Colombo, 194). Nuclear energy is an ideal source of energy if the global community manages to harness it in a way that does not prove hazardous to the environment or the people. Bahrain can adopt safer methods of harnessing nuclear energy and gaining global trust to start generation of energy to meet the present shortage. Works Cited Abdulla, Ahmed, and M.Granger Morgan. "Nuclear Power For The Developing World." Issues in science and technology. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. Colombo, Silvia. Bridging the Gulf: Eu-gcc Relations at a Crossroads. Roma: Nuova cultura, 2014. Print. Harrabin, Roger. "Friends Of The Earths Shift On Nuclear Should Be Celebrated, Not Denied." The Guardian. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. Rogers, Simon. "Nuclear Power Plant Accidents: Listed And Ranked Since 1952." The Guardian 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. The Economist. "Nuclear Weapons: The New Nuclear Age."The Economist: Leaders. 7 Mar. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. Union of Concerned Scientists. "Nuclear Power Accidents." Union of Concerned Scientists: Cambridge. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. World Nuclear Association. "Safety Of Nuclear Reactors." World Nuclear Association: London. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. Read More