Op-Ed Contributors

Debate: Nuclear energy

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-23 08:01

Outside interests opposed to the nuclear industry in Asian countries are aware that without this technology no country can continue to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Sadly, many officials, too, believe in such falsehoods. In the Chernobyl region, for example, a longstanding practice has been to blame every death on the 1986 nuclear accident so that more foreign funds can be secured.

Not all types of radiation are harmful, and precaution can be taken against even the most harmful ones. That's why an overwhelming majority of scientists favor nuclear energy to that generated by burning coal or oil.

How many people are aware that in the US alone, more than 30,000 people die each year because of the ill-effects associated with coal-based power plants. The figure must be even higher in developing countries such as China and India.

In contrast, less than 10 people have died because of the radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, which has been the focus of media attention. Instead of viewing the Fukushima experience as a reason to avoid nuclear plants, we should realize that even in this purported horrific disaster the number of deaths were very few.

Although many governments are aware that the actual risk is low, they have sought to become popular among their public by raising the Fukushima scare further. The governments of many developed countries have asked their citizens living in Japan to leave and/or advised people back home, or not to visit that country at least for the time being. In fact, the radiation caused by the X-ray machines at airports and flights is many times more than any possible risk from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

The United Kingdom government has even distributed iodine tablets among its nationals in Tokyo, even though the Japanese capital is far away from Fukushima and iodine can protect only the thyroid gland, not other organs of the human body. In case there is a high-level radiation, the iodine tablets so generously given by the UK embassy in Tokyo will ensure that a radiation victim's thyroid gland remains healthy while the rest of his/her body suffers. It should be kept in mind that several top oil companies in the world are based in the UK.

China, India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa (BRICS countries) should use their upcoming summit in Hainan province, China, as a platform to start a program to inform their people about the importance of nuclear energy. The people of these important countries need to be warned not to fall prey to the panic created against nuclear energy and force their governments to abandon nuclear power, compelling them to remain dependent on the oil lobby.

It's time BRICS countries established a "Nuclear Information and Safety Forum" to promote and develop this important form of energy, and spread harmony and prosperity through it.

The author is vice-chair, Manipal Advanced Research Group, UNESCO Peace chair and professor of Geopolitics, Manipal University, India.

(China Daily 03/23/2011 page9)