Overview

More than 30 countries have stated their interest in developing new nuclear power programs. They are motivated by energy security concerns, the challenge of reducing their carbon emissions, and hunger for the prestige and indirect military deterrence that fuel cycle facilities and nuclear reactors provide. At the same time, concerns about climate-changing carbon emissions have lead some of nuclear power's traditional opponents in the environmental community to see it as a necessary technology to help reduce carbon emissions. How does the transfer of nuclear power technology to new countries threaten to also aid the proliferation of nuclear weapons? Can the threat be mitigated? 

Join members of the MIT Energy Club to discuss the nuclear nonproliferation issues raised by an expansion of civilian nuclear power around the world. Please prepare for the discussion by reading the articles posted on the Discussion Series webpage. Refreshments will be served.

Key Questions

Why do countries want nuclear power?  Why do they want nuclear bombs?  

What are the technological reasons that expanding nuclear power might also aid the proliferation of nuclear weapons?  

Can we mitigate the threat of nuclear weapon proliferation while expanding access to nuclear power?   

Preparatory Readings

The Arms-Control Dinosaurs are Back - WSJ, 19 May 2009

Nuclear Power without Nuclear Proliferation? by S.E.Miller and S.D.Sagan, Deadalus, Fall 2009 (Article is available free, but requires registration)

World Nuclear Association Brief on Emerging Nuclear Countries (quite long, but at least check out the introduction)

Nonproliferation and Nuclear Power

06:00-07:00PM Thursday, November 12, 2009
Leader: Blandine Antoine
Location: 26-204