Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy in a Sustainable Energy Future

In the twentieth century, mankind made amazing strides innuclear science and technology. Those advances have providedenormous benefits. Controlled nuclear fission provides reliablelarge-scale energy production around the world (currently 20 percentof electrical generation in the United States, and 16 percentglobally), and radioisotopes are indispensable for various basicresearch techniques, industrial processes, and many medical procedures.1 In fact, approximately one-third of all patients enteringhospitals in the U.S. will have some form of nuclear medicaldiagnostic or therapeutic procedure.In contrast, nuclear weapons of enormous destructive powerhave been developed and pose a threat to international security.Since the first and only use of nuclear weapons in 1945, theU.S. and many other countries have striven to limit the spreadof such weapons, with the ultimate goal of their elimination.2-4The goal of nuclear nonproliferation, as embodied in the Treatyon the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), has beenwidely accepted in the international community and continuesto be a cornerstone of international security. However, the threatof nuclear proliferation has evolved with the changing state ofinternational affairs.5,6An effective nonproliferation policy must deal with thefollowing broad-based threats:• Diversion of fissile material from the nuclear fuel cycle;• Theft of fissile material by sub-national or terrorist groups;• Clandestine operation of a fissile material production facility.Proliferation of nuclear weapons can occur through sovereignstates, with a recent notable example being North Korea.Proliferation to sub-national groups must also be prevented; thisis primarily a concern with respect to theft of a nuclear weapon orthe fissionable material from which a weapon can be fashioned.Effectively dealing with these threats requires the active leadershipand involvement of the U.S. This will require a flexible U.S. approachin dealing with diverse situations and possible new threats,and with the emergence and application of new technologies.Historically, nations have only utilized un-safeguarded researchreactors, special-purpose reactors, or isotope separationfacilities to produce the quantities of the high quality plutoniumand highly enriched uranium desired for nuclear weapons.2-4Other materials and technology used in the civil sector can potentiallybe utilized to make nuclear weapons.7-11 Accordingly, thereis widespread agreement that if the world is to realize the manybenefits of nuclear power in the future, it is imperative that thispeaceful nuclear technology continue to be applied in such a waythat it does not contribute to the spread of nuclear weapons, andthat the public has confidence that the diversion of civil nuclearmaterials into weapons programs will not take place. This is oneof the prime objectives of the global nonproliferation regime,which the U.S. has played a key role in promoting.