Time for an Integrated Approach to Nuclear Risk Management, Governance and Safety/Security/Emergency Arrangements

The World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) hosted a one-day roundtable discussion focused on the early lessons emerging from the Fukushima tragedy that took place in Japan in March 2011. The roundtable, which was co-hosted by Serco, was held in London on the 12th May at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI).

It will clearly take months, if not years, before detailed analysis of the incident is complete and all lessons from it have been identi‡ ed. However, the incident has already prompted safety reviews for organisations in the international nuclear community. One thing is clear: All reviews by the nuclear industry, governments and international community must include the lessons that are emerging for nuclear safety AND security and emergency arrangements. WINS believes that all major events, whether driven by natural or malicious causes, should be used as catalysts for review and as learning opportunities that will help us improve current arrangements. This is because safety and security are intimately linked and serve a common objective: the protection of the public and the environment.

This paper sets out the priorities for nuclear security; we offer it as a contribution to the international debate on what needs to change to improve the management and oversight of nuclear operations.