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Hearing on Nuclear Pollution in the Arctic - November 2016

Nuclear Pollution in the Arctic: the Next Chernobyl?

Moderator

Paul Massaro

Policy Advisor

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Witnesses

PDF icon

Nils Bøhmer

Managing Director

Bellona Foundation

Julia Gourley

U.S. Senior Arctic Official

Department of State

Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen

Visiting Fellow, Europe Program

Center for Strategic and International Studies

For decades, certain nations have been dumping nuclear waste and radioactive material in the Arctic. The extent of this contaminated waste has only come to light in recent years, and some experts fear there could be severe consequences if the waste is not swiftly handled and removed. This briefing sought to explore the magnitude of the problem and present recommendations for what the U.S. and the international community can do moving forward.

The briefing participants offered diverse subject-area expertise, coming from backgrounds of Arctic environment, U.S. policy, and broader geopolitics. Nils Bøhmer, a Norwegian nuclear physicist, started the briefing off with an educated overview of past and current Russian nuclear activity in the Arctic. Next, Julia Gourley brought attention to some Arctic Council programs addressing environmental and health issues in the Arctic. Finally, Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen discussed nuclear-waste management, the current state of Arctic geopolitics, and offered models for nuclear-waste governance.  The discussion was productive and all of the participants encouraged further U.S. engagement on this issue.

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