Green Cross International Organizes First “Nuclear National Dialogue” in Moscow

Nuclear and Nonproliferation Experts meet in International Discussion organized by Green Cross International and Stress Importance of Containment,Demilitarization, and Threat Reduction of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction

Over two days, July 3 and 4, 2006, a first-of-its-kind “Nuclear National Dialogue” took place in Moscow. Organized by the non-governmental, environmental organization, Green Cross International (through three of its national affiliates – Green Cross Russia, Green Cross Switzerland, and Global Green USA) and by the Russian Federal Department of Atomic Energy, RosAtom, the conference brought together over one hundred nuclear energy and nonproliferation experts from over a dozen nations to publicly address major issues of safety, security, threat reduction, and the G-8 Global Partnership.

This public discussion came just ten days before the Group of Eight leaders will converge on Saint Petersburg, Russia for their annual G-8 Summit. This is the first year that Russia will host the G-8 meeting which comes at a time of growing tensions with Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, and elsewhere.

Representatives from several countries of the “G-8 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction” including Canada, Norway, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States discussed the successes and challenges of international efforts over the past decade, including the past four years since the founding of the Global Partnership, to contain and demilitarize nuclear weapons, related launch systems, and secure fissile materials in the Former Soviet Union.

The G-8 statement at Kananaskis, Canada in July 2002 stated that “Under this initiative, we will support specific cooperation projects, initially in Russia, to address non-proliferation, disarmament, counter-terrorism and nuclear safety issues. Among our priority concerns are the destruction of chemical weapons, the dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear submarines, the disposition of fissile materials and the employment of former weapons scientists. We will commit to raise up to $20 billion to support such projects over the next ten years.”

Speakers emphasized that thousands of nuclear warheads; hundreds of nuclear weapons launch systems – missiles, silos, and strategic bombers; dozens of nuclear-powered missile and attack submarines; and tons of weapons grade fissile materials have all been secured, stored, dismantled, and/or destroyed over the past fifteen years of the US Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) and nuclear nonproliferation programs and Global Partnership efforts.

Also emphasized was the importance of continuing these bilateral and multilateral efforts to prohibit proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Still remaining are over 1,700 nuclear warheads awaiting deactivation in Russia; over 600 land- and submarine-based strategic ballistic missiles; 300 mobile missile launchers; over 100 nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines; and tons of fissile materials including military and commercial spent nuclear fuel.

Speakers from the regions where nuclear demilitarization projects take place also pointed out many local and regional problems including mistrust towards the federal autho rities, fears of environmental and health impacts, and concerns of massive job losses. All these problems together could ultimately derail global efforts to secure nuclear materials and result in costly and time-consuming setbacks. The presentations again showed the importance of including local and regional stakeholders right from the beginning in planning and implementation of demilitarization projects.

Also discussed was the future of commercial energy supply and demand, with RosAtom and other experts analyzing the future of nuclear, fossil fuel (coal, gas, and oil), and alternative (solar, hydro, geothermal, et al) sources of power. Participants discussed the importance of security of power plants, especially nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel, in today’s world and the need to secure highly enriched uranium (HEU) globally – what is sometimes referred to as “global clean-out” – in order to prevent theft and diversion of bomb-related nuclear materials.

Environmental, societal , and public health impacts of energy, security, and threat reduction plans were discussed with emphasis place on the long-term sustainability of such efforts . Many experts agreed that the threat of global warming and growing production of greenhouse gases warranted serious consideration and investment in alternative, non-polluting sources of energy production.

Green Cross International has recently issued an “Energy Security” paper which states: “The greatest energy security challenge facing humanity is implementing clean energy solutions for sustainable development. By exponentially increasing the installed capacity of clean energy sources around the globe, the G-8 can work to mitigate Climate Change and provide energy to the world’s poorest people. Leveraging an unprecedented clean energy and energy efficiency deployment is the only way to achieve real, lasting energy security.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized energy security, health, and education and his three top priorities for the forthcoming G-8 summit meeting. The Nuclear National Dialogue pointed out that Global Partnership efforts in securing nuclear weapons and materials and prohibiting proliferation of dangerous weapons of mass destruction must also be a top priority at the Saint Petersburg summit.

Green Cross International was founded in 1993 by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It has a network of thirty national affiliates across the globe focusing its attention on the crucial nexus between peace, poverty, and the environment. GCI addresses the environmental causes and consequences of wars and conflict, and assists affected populations. It offers unbiased environmental analysis and expertise, promotes sustainable use and management of natural resources, and disseminates educational materials on related subjects. The US affiliate, Global Green USA is headquartered in Los Angeles; the Swiss affiliate, Green Cross Switzerland, in Zurich; and the Russian affiliate, Green Cross Russia, in Moscow .