PRODUCER: Jesse Shore, Tim Thwaites

CHAIR: Jonathan Holmes

SPEAKER: Ziggy Switkowski

SPEAKERS: Harrie Oster, Peter Calamai, Jim Falk, Hujun Li, Hanns Neubert

SESSION REPORT:

The nuclear debate faces contamination by new issues

By Hujun Li

The media faces more challenges following the resurgence of interest in nuclear power in many countries, said a panel of scientists and journalists at this session.

Dr. Ziggy Switkowski, chairman of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization announced the Australian government’s intention to build 25 new nuclear reactors.

He said that the Australian media and general public previously cared about safety issues, now the focus has shifted to things like “is it too costly or not” and “if the first reactor is 15 years away, is it too far away to contribute to climate change challenges”.

With the threat of climate change and the desire for energy, public attitude and media coverage toward nuclear power is changing rapidly.

Finland is building its fifth nuclear reactor. According to Finnish journalist Harriet Oster, the number of people in favour of further construction is considerably greater (46%) than the number of people rejecting it (32%).

Hans Neubert, a German journalist and the vice president of European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations, mentioned that Germany now has 17 nuclear reactors. The German government plans to phase out nuclear power by 2020. This has brought diverse media response.

It seems that media in Finland and Germany focus heavily on the national nuclear power debate.

Hujun Li, a science reporter from China’s Southern Weekly, said that the nuclear industry was previously a “mystery”. Fortunately, the Chinese media began to touch the nuclear debate in depth after the Chinese government declared the goal of installing 31 new nuclear reactors by 2020.

The nuclear power debate is not a new topic in countries like Canada. Peter Calamai, a veteran science writer from the Toronto Star, talked about the nuclear power coverage in Canada many years ago. He joked that prestige is the basic reason that many countries want to have their own nuclear power plants: “Every reactor had a national flag saying, ‘We can build one’.”

Last November, a report chaired by Dr. Switkowski offered nuclear power as a viable option for Australia. A long-term critic of nuclear power, Melbourne University professor Jim Falk and several independent experts then formed a panel to review the report and publicize their opinions.

Prof. Falk said at the 5th WCSJ that media should not avoid more questions on economic, technological, health and environmental grounds.