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Anxiety
and fear were crucial factors in influencing public attitudes towards nuclear
power. - This isn't new, one can argue. Yes this isn't new! This was the
conclusion pointed out more than 45 years ago, in 1957, by a study group of the
WHO - Mental Health Aspects of the Peaceful uses of Atom Energy - WHO Technical
Report Series 151, Geneva 1958. The charge
that public fears of nuclear power are largely irrational has been made by
citing the safety record of the nuclear industry. However these fears have been
justified and strongly reinforced by the accident in Chernobyl, in which 31
workers died and which long-term evacuation of some 135.000 local people was
necessary. Although the actual loss of life at Chernobyl was relatively small -
comparable to any other severe industrial accident, the enforced evacuation of a
large number of people from their homes and land for a period of years is
very complicated to accept. On the last it is also necessary to add the
uncertainty of the future generation due the exposure. We can't
only argue about the Russian system and Radiation Safety Conception, take
the Tokaimura Accident: How can public accept so insensate error? Japan
birthplace of culture and family respect! Public
today, as in the past is not different, superstition, spiritualism and a belief
in magic are still commonplace and regarding nuclear energy the above is
due in part to the expectation of apocalyptic disaster that was deeply implanted
in public culture. To educate people first of all is necessary to reduce the large gap of perception of risk, both political and public and professional and public. France has enough experience in dealing with both situation, the country's nuclear power programme is supported both left and right wing governments and the general public. Jose
Julio Rozental
Israel
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