Severe catastrophes and public reactions

Full text: Sustainable Development and Anti-Nuclear Opposition: In the new century many problems of sustainable development of the world are exacerbated. Naturally these problems- how to reach harmonious development of the North and South, East and West, how to solve power problems of the world without infringement of ecological balances in the environment, without a substantial climate warming over a growing intensity of greenhouses discharges from an industry are very complicated. Many experts and we are convinced that these problems cannot be solved without broad uses of a nuclear energy. On Millennium Summit meeting in 2000 Mr. President of Russia V. Putin has presented the important initiative directed on solution of future energy problems and on searching the ways of sustainable development. His ideas consisted of the development under IAEA aegis the International Project for ensuring of Non-proliferation of arms, protection and improvement of the environment, use of nuclear energy without accumulation of plutonium and enriched uranium. The nuclear societies should participate in broadly informing the public about this initiative. But in a society there is the opposition of development of nuclear power, the prolonged conflict 'greens' with nuclear supporters is continuing. Despite many advantages of nuclear power the fear of nuclear radiation inspires fighters for cleanliness of an environment on struggle for closing of nuclear power plants. The pressure of 'greens' gained strength after failures on TMI-2 and Chernobyl plants. It is possible to expect that the attacks 'greens' will be intensified after September 11 when aeroplanes with passengers captured by kamikazes crashed and destroyed the buildings of WTC in New York and Pentagon in Washington. Such terrible events have showed a vulnerability of a modem civilisation before the actions of terrorists. The roots of anti-nuclear position: It is possible to distinguish economical, social, scientific roots of nuclear opposition. Economical basis of nuclear energy stagnation is in not very successful competition of nuclear engineering with fossil energy production technologies. Much money has been spent for improvement of safety of NPPs. Social roots of the opposition are linked with a bad experience of the public with demonstration of the nuclear energy- The explosion of atomic bombs, some contamination of the territories after nuclear arm tests, misfortunes with TMI-2 and Chernobyl have created a stable enmity and non-acceptance of the all connected with 'atom'. The mass media have strongly promoted the dissemination of the fear of radiation exposures. There is also an influence on that attitude the radiation protection regulation via the declaration of the linear no-threshold dependence of the radiation detriments and dose of exposure. Such concept ignores the adoptive features of all living. But modem studies have showed that protracted irradiation at the same dose is much less dangerous compared with sharp one. It could change public attitude to nuclear energy in the society. Role of nuclear communication for public informing: The reactions of public on various technological and man-made events differ significantly and are being determined not scales of catastrophes but the mental impression and a multiplication of psychological stresses in the society by mass -media. In present situation a nuclear community has to improve the contacts with the pubic, to launch more effective campaign for explanation of real adventures of nuclear power. It needs to compare the risks of climate warming and health detriments from different electricity production technologies and to show that nuclear power is a single alternative all fossil burning techniques of electricity production. It's the truth the nuclear power is a real method of fight for suppression of emission the greenhouse gases, isn't it? (author)