- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center Newsletter

Next Steps to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism

Summer 2016

During the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit, Belfer Center experts published reports and provided commentary and analysis on successes and continuing challenges in nuclear security around the world. Following are some actions they believe are needed to improve the security of nuclear facilities and reduce the possibility of nuclear theft and terrorism.

[Some recommendations are edited for space.]

Graham Allison

“Could There Be a Terrorist Fukushima?”

The New York Times, April 4, 2016

  • Provide armed guards at all nuclear facilities that hold weapons-grade material or significant amounts of low-enriched fuel.
  • Thoroughly vet employees of nuclear plants before they are employed.
  • The U.S. can leverage its leadership in international commerce of nuclear material and technology.
  • Require a credible assessment of local terrorist threats.
  • Conduct regular exercises simulating armed attacks to test the plants’ security systems and provide independent oversight.
  • Expand current U.S. laws to allow American intelligence and policy officials to share classified assessments of terrorists’ intentions and capabilities with more governments.
  • The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism should encourage members to share intelligence and exchange best security practices.

Matthew Bunn, William Tobey, Martin Malin, Nickolas Roth

Preventing Nuclear Terrorism:Continuous Improvement or Dangerous Decline?

Project on Managing the Atom Report

 

(Belfer Center) March 21, 2016

  • Countries need to commit to protect nuclear stocks against the full range of plausible adversary threats, and provide resources to fulfill that commitment.
  • The United States and Russia should rebuild their nuclear cooperation based on a new, equal approach.
  • The U.S. should expand nuclear security cooperation with Pakistan, India, and China and exchange best practices with all countries where nuclear weapons or weapons-usable materials exist.
  • Countries should take a broader approach to consolidating nuclear weapons and materials to fewer locations around the globe and offer incentives to shut down unneeded facilities and help convert them to use fuels that cannot be used in developing a nuclear bomb.
  • Senior officials of interested countries should continue to meet to oversee implementation of existing nuclear security commitments and suggest ideas for additional steps.
  • Interested countries should develop approaches for building confidence that effective nuclear security measures are in place without compromising sensitive information.

Trevor Findlay

What Price Nuclear Governance: Funding the International Atomic Energy AgencyProject on Managing the Atom Report

(Belfer Center) March 24, 2016

  • The role the IAEA plays in global nuclear governance…makes it an indisput­able bargain…The IAEA deserves the continuing financial and material support of the international community in fulfilling all aspects of its mandate.
  • What is needed is a grand budgetary bargain [incorporating] technical cooperation, nuclear security, and extra-budgetary funding into the regular budget.

Hui Zhang

“It’s Time for China to Turn Nuclear-Security Pledges into Reality”

Defense One, March 24, 2016

  • Beijing should install a complete, reliable, and effective security system to ensure that all its nuclear weapons, weapon-usable nuclear materials, nuclear facilities, and nuclear transports are effectively protected against the full spectrum of plausible terrorist and criminal threats.

Gary Samore

“The 2016 Nuclear Security Summit: What to Look For”

Asia Society, March 25, 2016

  • The United States has a limited ability to shape China’s plans [to pursue industrial-scale reprocessing capabilities]. The best approach is likely to appeal to China’s bottom line, noting that the economics of this decision…don’t make sense.

Daniel Poneman

“Two Reasons to Restore American Nuclear Leadership”

Medium, March 30, 2016

  • The U.S. should resume “a more robust role” in the expansion of nuclear power to fulfill post-Fukushima standards for nuclear safety and to require stringent controls against the threat of the diversion of nuclear talent, technology, or materials to hostile groups.

For additional Belfer Center expert analysis and commentary related to the Nuclear Security Summit, see here.

Preventing Nuclear Terrorism:Continuous Improvement or Dangerous Decline?

Project on Managing the Atom Report

(Belfer Center) March 21, 2016

For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation: “Next Steps to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism.” Belfer Center Newsletter (Summer 2016).
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