7 - Nuclear safety & security

Abstract

The urgent need for inherent nuclear safety and security system was coupled with the increasing global demand for nuclear energy, as there was a continuous dependence on nuclear energy in order to generate sustainable and clean energy. Not only that, but that nuclear and radioisotopes technologies contributed to advancing development in a large number of sectors including a wide range of industries, agriculture, health, archaeology, space invasion, and nuclear forensic and the detection of commercial fraud and many other peaceful applications, which requires international guarantees and controls for protection of radioactive and nuclear materials used in these applications. Besides, the spread of peaceful nuclear applications and the vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons by the nuclear countries have led to increasing fears of the unlawful seizure of nuclear materials and equipment and their use in a manner that threatens human security. All these require a measure of attention and policy to ensure their safety and security in the long term for fear of falling into terrorist hands, in particular after the events of September 11, 2001. Fears of terrorist threats to nuclear and radiological facilities and materials have led to the adoption of a global strategy to confront the threats of nuclear terrorism, the involvement of States in global and regional initiatives to strengthen their legislative and control systems to prevent any malicious acts targeting theft or unauthorized withdrawal or smuggling of nuclear and radiological materials or sabotage against nuclear and radiological facilities. As a result of the increasing nuclear illicit trafficking and fears of terrorist threats to nuclear and radiological facilities and materials, the issue of nuclear security has received great international attention in the past few decades. This is evident in strengthening the collaboration between the international institutions and safeguard conventions such as the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was adopted in 1979 and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism that was adopted in 2005 with a significant aim to foster nuclear security in nuclear facilities to ensure the safety and security of nuclear facilities, public and to confronting any terrorist or sabotage acts that may cause a nuclear disaster by recruiting insiders in these facilities to meet to terrorist agendas.