ABSTRACT
Should nuclear fission become the major source of energy, and the technology of fast breeder plutonium reactors universally available and employed, most nations would become potential nuclear weapon states, thus creating a serious threat to world security. The NPT and the IAEA safeguards system, in their present form, are inadequate to eliminate the danger, as are attempts to patch up the weaknesses. Current studies in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation may come up with acceptable, more proliferation-resistant fuel cycles, but this would also serve to encourage more nations to embark on nuclear energy programmes.
In this context, the role of Third World countries is crucial since they constitute the great majority of nations, but only a few of them have as yet decided on their future energy programmes. Both the IAEA and the nuclear energy industries are urging them to opt for nuclear power. This is undesirable, because nuclear energy is an unsuitable energy source for most of these countries; it would create a new economic dependence on industrialized countries and would greatly increase the dangers of a nuclear war. To counteract this, measures are needed (a) to encourage Third World countries to meet their energy needs from sources other than nuclear ones; (b) to reduce pressures on countries to acquire nuclear reactors; and (c) to eliminate the threat of new hegemonies to countries that already have nuclear power.
To achieve this, it is proposed that two new international organizations be set up. One, a World Energy Organization (WEO), would be a specialized agency of the United Nations, with functions similar to those of WHO or FAO but with sufficient funds to make loans to individual countries which accept WEO’s advice about their energy programmes. The second, an International Nuclear Fuel Agency (INFA), would be the sole authority to operate enrichment, fuel fabrication, reprocessing and waste disposal plants. Organizationally, it could be part of the IAEA, but the latter would have to separate its promotional and safeguarding activities. An amendment to the NPT would be needed to oblige all countries, both nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states, equally to accept INFA controls.
