Other
- +18
James M. Acton, Saskia Brechenmacher, Cecily Brewer, …
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Nuclear Disaster: Could It Happen Here... Again?
Although the nuclear reactor crisis in Japan will likely launch a debate about safety, there are stark differences between Japan and the United States in the environmental scenarios that must be considered when designing U.S. nuclear reactors.
Published on Mar 13, 2011
Source: CNBC
In an interview with CNBC, James Acton explored the implications of Japan’s nuclear crisis on resurgent interest in nuclear energy in the United States. Acton explained that Japan’s Fukushima reactors were not designed to withstand an earthquake and a tsunami of the magnitude that struck the island on March 11. While this crisis will re-kindle a debate on nuclear safety in the United States and prompt a reassessment of earthquake preparedness, Acton stressed that any method used to generate electricity has associated risks. A crisis like the one facing the Japanese boiling water reactor in Fukushima underscores the need for the nuclear industry to be forthright about the challenges it faces in ensuring reactor safety. Acton concluded, however, that it is important to remember that reactors have advanced considerably in the last three decades and modern reactors have safety systems designed to avoid crises like the one presently unfolding in Japan.
About the Author
James M. Acton
Jessica T. Mathews Chair, Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program
Acton holds the Jessica T. Mathews Chair and is co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
- Unpacking Trump’s National Security Strategy
- Trump Has an Out on Nuclear Testing. He Should Take It.Commentary
James M. Acton
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Time for Nuclear Recycling? Prospects and Implications During a Global Nuclear Energy RenewalPaper
Nuclear recycling has emerged as a salient, cross-cutting issue, one that is heavily dependent on broader choices among reactor designs, fuel availability, economic resources, technological options, and political choices. States and nuclear industries seeking to advance recycling must devote sustained consideration now to the interplay of all these factors.
Etienne Pochon
- Beyond the Hype: Assessing Hyperscaler Nuclear Commitments Against U.S. Energy RealitiesPaper
The coming decade will require technology companies to decide how nuclear fits into their energy strategies—and grapple with the obligations that follow.
John Pendleton, Mackenzie Schuessler
- China’s Police and Security Cooperation AgreementsPaper
China’s Ministry of Public Security is often portrayed as a domestic law enforcement agency, but it is also a global security actor. This paper explores how MPS has used international law enforcement and security cooperation agreements—over 200 since 2006—to advance China’s vision of security in a changing global environment.
Sophie Zhuang, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Cameron Waltz
- Europe Should Not Let Nuclear Nonproliferation DieCommentary
Amid uncertainty caused by the Iran war, the global drive for nonproliferation has stalled. With Europe diplomatically marginalized and countries reassessing their nuclear options, efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons risk becoming irrelevant.
Jane Darby Menton
- Post U.S.-China Summit: Managed InstabilityCommentary
The U.S.-China Summit produced a welcome commitment to build a constructive, strategically stable relationship. However, the United States has a full agenda, including the USMCA review beginning this week, that will likely target Chinese practices of concern. If China views these efforts as inconsistent with the agreements reached in Beijing, it may slow or halt progress in response.
Barbara Weisel
