Nuclear Power After Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011)

25 years after a worst-case scenario nuclear accident became reality in Ukrainian Chernobyl, the recent catastrophe in Fukushima, Japan, will have incalcuable consequences for people in Japan and elsewhere. Similar to what happened 25 years ago, the Japan disaster has once again highlighted the risks of nuclear power – at a time when the Chernobyl incident had almost disappeared from public consciousness. Many had held that nuclear power presented a manageable, reliable, and inexpensive alternative to oil and coal, and a number of governments had recently announced the construction of new nuclear power stations.

Proponents of nuclear power extol it as a climate-friendly, cheap “clean technology” that should be used on a broad scale to solve the problem of climate change.

Meanwhile, opponents of nuclear power caution against the “renaissance” of a life-threatening and in fact costly source of power; they argue that the future lies in the development of renewable energies.

In light of these two defining events, Chernobyl and Fukushima, we have invited international experts to debate the varying perspectives on nuclear power and the future of our energy supply. Proponents and opponents from different parts of the world will debate key questions, including: What are the implications of Chernobyl and Fukushima for the international development of nuclear power? What consequences will the Fukushima incident have on the operation of nuclear power stations and the storage of nuclear waste? How can binding standards be established – and who will supervise compliance? Is nuclear power necessary in the fight against climate change? What obstacles impede a rapid switch to renewable energies? Is it feasible to replace coal and nuclear power with alternative energies – and what has to be done to achieve this?