The Consequences of Chernobyl's Disaster and the New Policy of Social Defense - Dissertation Example

he Chernobyl Disaster 31 Social Defence in the EU following the Chernobyl Disaster 34 Social Defence in the UK following the Chernobyl Disaster 37 Part IV 42 Conclusion 42 Strengths of the Research 44 Limitations of the Research 44 Suggestions for Further Research 45 Bibliography 45 Part I Introduction The Chernobyl accident and its resulting disaster in 1986 illustrates that even the most careful planning on a domestic level will not minimize or remove the risks attending all states with respect to nuclear power plants.

The risks associated with nuclear power plants are far more serious than the specific risks revealed by the Chernobyl accident. Essentially, the Chernobyl accident revealed that an innocent accident lacking malicious intent can bring about disaster that goes far beyond the vicinity of the accident itself.4 Separate and apart from accidental damages, even the ordinary functioning of nuclear power plants can create disasters. After all, workers are managing and handling dangerous material such as plutonium and uranium which can be deliberately transferred to rogue nations or terrorist for “non-peaceful use”.

5 Moreover, there is always the possibility of military assaults on power plants and deliberate sabotage. Consequences of any of these actions were brought to the fore by the Chernobyl accident.6 The Chernobyl disaster essentially resurrected the debate over nuclear power and managing nuclear power. These controversies drew attention to the risk associated with the proliferation of nuclear weapons, nuclear power plant accidents, repositories for nuclear waste, and environmental and health issues attending radiation fallout.

7 More importantly, the Chernobyl symbolized a “high risk society” in which no one can escape “man-made disasters” and. The objective of this research is to acquire a better insight the Chernobyl accident and its resulting disaster in 1986. It illustrates that even the most careful planning on a domestic level will not minimize or remove the risks attending all states with respect to nuclear power plants. The risks associated with nuclear power plants are far more serious than the specific risks revealed by the Chernobyl accident.

Essentially, the Chernobyl accident revealed that an innocent accident lacking malicious intent can bring about disaster that goes far beyond the vicinity of the accident itself. Separate and apart from accidental damages, even the ordinary functioning of nuclear power plants can create disasters. After all, workers are managing and handling dangerous material such as plutonium and uranium which can be deliberately transferred to rogue nations or terrorist for “non-peaceful use”. Moreover, there is always the possibility of military assaults on power plants and deliberate sabotage.

Consequences of any of these actions were brought to the fore by the Chernobyl accident. The Chernobyl disaster essentially resurrected the debate over nuclear power and managing nuclear power. These controversies drew attention to the risk associated with the proliferation of nuclear weapons, nuclear power plant accidents, repositories for nuclear waste, and environmental and health issues attending radiation fallout. More importantly, the Chernobyl symbolized a “high risk society” in which no one can escape “man-made disasters” and that these disasters are not confined to time and space.