The E8 Network of Expertise for the Global Environment
Nuclear Energy
Among the lessons learned from the past history of nuclear power development, significant perception issues need to be addressed by electric utility companies.
The Nuclear Energy Working Group was created at the 1995 e7 Summit in Toronto, under the leadership of KANSAI, to organise exchanges of information and to foster co-operation with international organisations in charge of safety problems in the world’s nuclear power plants, particularly in eastern European countries.
The Group’s experts started by assessing issues such as the cost analysis of the different primary energy sources, focussing on nuclear energy in particular. With the original intention of studying the technical aspects of nuclear energy development, the Nuclear Energy Working Group evolved into studying the diverse factors behind the public’s anxiety and distrust of nuclear power.
Among the lessons learned from the history of nuclear power development, five significant subjects in terms of earning social trust for nuclear power became obvious:
- Safety Culture
- Stakeholder Interests
- Satisfaction and participation
- Transparency
- International Co-operation
The basic recognition of these lessons is considered useful for earning social trust not only for nuclear power, but also for the electric power industry in general.
Since the 1999, the Nuclear Energy Working Group, which became the Nuclear Network, continues to monitor developments in nuclear energy and function as an information exchange. In the context of Climate Change, the Nuclear Network continues to monitor the role that nuclear energy may play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
e8 Priorities
Major global environmental and social issues that affect the electric utility industry are considered to be the top priorities of the e8.
The issues of sustainable development, climate change, social trust, and internationalisation are the focus of the e8's actions.