The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was created in 1957, waged by the United States' former-president Dwight D. Eisenhower address to the United Nations General Assembly, concerning to his speech ‘Atoms for Peace’. Since then, the Agency has been an important sphere of discussion regarding to the rising issues about nuclear energy and its use.
Among its objectives, the IAEA is mainly concerned in promoting the pacific use of nuclear energy through scientific and technical cooperation as well as in discouraging its military uses. Finally, since the 1990’s it is also part of its attributions to investigate and to inspect about the violations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Topics Overview
Topic A: Iran’s Nuclear Program
Since it has been unveiled, the Nuclear Program of Iran is a very controversial subject given the importance of this question. Despite Iranian authorities arguing that everything is being done in conformity with the law and respecting the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the international community is still mistrusted about the supposedly pacific goals persecuted by the Iranian government.
World powers suspect that Iran has not been honest about its nuclear program and that it works to acquire the ability to build a nuclear bomb. The governments of the United States and other nations argue that the program is a cover for an attempt to get nuclear weapons. Iranian government categorically denies the charges and insists to be exercising its right to maintain nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. USA and Israel are the main opponents of this nuclear program. On the other hand, Brazil and Turkey are defenders, having the Turks entered into an agreement to supply enriched uranium for the Iranians.
In 2010, Iranian former President Ahmadinejad said that his country had started the production of enriched uranium to 20% for civilian use, also claimed that the country has the capacity to enrich uranium to 80%, which gives the country the capability to build a bomb. In the present year, the tensions over the Nuclear Program of Iran have intensified while the six great powers are trying to negotiate an agreement of uranium-enrichment suspension in, at least, ten years by the Iranian government. However, those negotiations are difficult because of the demands of both sides, notably as Iran requires the removal of international sanctions that dramatically affect its economy.
The agreements with Iran are beginning to establish a climate of relative peace between nations. The negotiations are continuing, but with slow progress, and there are still various conflicting interests of the countries involved. Therefore, there will be a long and arduous path toward peace in the international system. Through diplomacy and negotiations the understanding about the issues related to the Iran's Nuclear Program will be achieved. The great powers must give a chance for peace, trying to reduce these tensions with the government of Iran.
International Atomic Energy Agency
Topic B: The use of atomic energy as a source of electrical power
The use of atomic energy as a source of electrical power is not new. The arguments against this source of energy came to be stronger after the accidents in Three Mile Island (USA), in 1979, and in Chernobyl (former URSS), back in 1986. Over time and with the crescent environmental issues, the acceptance of the use of nuclear energy started to increase once again. Nevertheless, this topic has been largely debated between those who oppose and those who are in favour.
As alluded, mainly since mid-1990’s the concerns over the global warming started to increase and to widespread in a way that nuclear energy came to be considered again as an alternative due to its low-carbon emission. This energy could be, as supported by its defenders, a viable option to help on diminishing environmental impacts as well as attending energy needs of a great range of countries. Namely, they argue that manipulating nuclear energy is getting safer and it is a good way to overcome the large dependency on oil, gas and coal.
On the other hand, the opposition to the use of nuclear energy has grown substantially since the natural disaster in Fukushima Daiichi (Japan), in 2011, and the consequent nuclear accident on three reactors. The critics claim that the costs involved in its use are high both in safety and economic terms and that the investments could be focused on other ‘clean’ sources of energy. Also, there have been some inquiry about what would be the destination of the toxic waste, how would be the real control of its non-military uses and what would be the risks of terrorist attacks over the reactors, calling attention again for the social and environmental risks.
Therefore, there still remains a lot to be discussed. Many countries support that on the long run nuclear energy is crucial and that risks involved on its advance each time get smaller. Contrarily, countries like Germany have shown an enormous opposition to its proliferation. What should be kept in mind is that the International Atomic Energy Agency has been a decisive sphere of debate and studies in order to strengthen understanding and acknowledgment of the countries about this matter.