Experts warn of severe challenges
to peaceful use of nuclear energy
Sep 20, 2007 - Xinhua
Experts warned here on Thursday that
the development of the peaceful use of nuclear energy
in the world would face severe challenges over the
next 25 years.
As the demand for energy and nuclear
technology is expected to increase fast in the coming
25 years, the huge capital cost of nuclear infrastructure,
the acute shortages of trained human resources and
the associated lack of infrastructure would restrain
the extension and application of nuclear technology
in developing countries, said experts in a report
submitted to the 2007 Scientific Forum of the 51st
Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) General Conference.
Moreover, the increasing worry about
nuclear safety and proliferation would also challenge
the development of nuclear energy in the future, said
the report, titled "Global Challenges and the Development
of Atomic Energy: The Next 25 Years."
The overall world energy demand would
rise probably by around 50 percent or even more in
the next 25 years, with two-thirds occurring in the
developing countries, according to the report.
The report also called on the IAEA to
continuously strengthen the international nuclear
safeguard and inspection mechanism, and to play a
more important role in promoting the peaceful use
of nuclear energy and non-proliferation.
As part of the IAEA General Conference,
the two-day forum which ended on Wednesday drew IAEA
Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei and many international
experts on nuclear application.
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