Needed: A debate on nuclear energy Wednesday, 23 March 2011 02:48

The massive earthquake and tsunami that has devastated Japan are sending aftershocks of a different sort across the world: Safety concerns cloud the world’s embrace of cleaner nuclear energy. Even as engineers work overtime to avert Fukushima developing into a worldwide disaster, policymakers in world capitals rethink their energy strategy and debate over the long-term viability of civil nuclear energy. Around 13 percent of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear plants and countries using this technology are now asking all kinds of questions about its safety.

Talks are being followed up with action. German Chancellor Angela Merkel temporarily shut down the country’s seven oldest nuclear power plants. As countries debate the issue, a tectonic shift in their policies is a clear possibility.

All these bring us to the questions that should concern us most. How will the Gulf countries react to the Japan crisis? What about Qatar? As the world revisits its position on the issue, what are our plans? In 2008, a Kahramaa official stated that Qatar was assessing the viability of a nuclear power plant, and other countries in the region, including the UAE, are joining the nuclear club. But noticeably, there has been no debate in this region about the impact of this technology in the wake of the radiation leaks in Japan. This debate has to be started by experts, and joined in by the public who too can offer valuable inputs on what course of action we need to take.

Why is such a debate not taking place in Qatar? Do the people of Qatar have the right to say no to nuclear plants? Since we don’t have an elected parliament, where do we raise these issues in a way the government will take note?

Some may argue that Qatar is not quake-prone like Japan and worries in this regard could be misplaced. But if the GCC countries are not in a quake zone, they are in a conflict zone, rife with tension and currently, popular revolt. Also, Qatar enjoys a pole position in the global energy industry, supplying LNG to several countries in the world. All these should make us think doubly about our nuclear plans.

Tragedies don’t discriminate against nations. We need to be prepared.