ABSTRACT
Before the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, the prospect of global nuclear expansion—in the view of some, a “nuclear renaissance”—appeared to be defining the future nuclear landscape as a result of increasing energy demand, growing concerns over energy security and climate change, and other emerging issues. It was believed that the prospects for dramatic growth in nuclear power would depend not only on economic competitiveness but also on safety, security, and proliferation resistance. Whatever long-term impact that Fukushima may have on global interest in nuclear power, the pre-accident rationale for nuclear power remains, and at present it still appears that nuclear power will expand, although at a slower rate and less widely than might have been the case before the accident. In the post-Fukushima environment, there may be incentives for integrating safety with safeguards and security. In the post-Fukushima environment, good nuclear governance will be needed to address the challenges of enhanced safety, security, and safeguards.
