Body IAEA- International Atomic Energy Agency

Measures to Minimize the Emerging Problems due to a possible

Topic
Nuclear Crisis
Country France
Represented by “Mihai Viteazul” National College
Delegate's name Cicala Iorgus Serghei

France is deeply concerned about the emerging problems due to a possible nuclear crisis that
may be caused by the contamination of the soil and potable water with different radioactive
substances, as well as by the infestation of the sea.
The crises in Chernobyl, Fukushima, Khyshtym, Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania have
shown us how dangerous the use of nuclear power plants may be. Further crises would affect our
ecosystem, our economy and people's health and daily life. Therefore, as a member state of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, France considers to be fully concerned about recent past nuclear
power plant accidents and incidents with multiple fatalities and more than US$100 million in property
damage. Consequently, it aims to support the development of civil use of atomic energy in Europe, as
well as to develop safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies in order to protect human health
and the environment from the dangers of ionizing radiation.
Sixteen countries depend on nuclear power for at least one-quarter of their electricity. France
obtains three-quarters of its electricity from nuclear energy. France fully supports that there is a clear
need for renewable sources of energy around the world, both to replace old fossil fuel units, especially
coal-fired ones and to meet increased demand for electricity in many countries. Despite the strong
support for growth in intermittent renewable electricity sources in recent years, the fossil fuel
contribution to power generation has remained virtually unchanged in the last 10 years.
Considering that the Resolution 1540 clearly mentions that all States shall take and enforce
effective measures to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, or
biological weapons and their means of delivery in military purpose, all Member States shall renew and
fulfill their commitment to multilateral cooperation, in particular within the framework of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and
the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, as important means of promoting international
cooperation for peaceful purposes.
Furthermore, France is a party to the NPT which it ratified in 1992 as a nuclear weapons
state. Euratom safeguards its application in France and covers all civil nuclear facilities and materials.
In addition, IAEA applies its safeguards activities in accordance with the trilateral "voluntary
offer" agreement between France, Euratom and the IAEA which entered into force in 1981. Since then
it has ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. In 1999 a parliamentary debate reaffirmed three
main planks of French energy policy: security of supply, respect for the environment and proper
attention to radioactive waste management.
In 2005 a law established guidelines for energy policy and security. The role of nuclear power
was central to this, along with specific decisions concerning the EPR. It also set out research policy
for developing innovative energy technologies consistent with reducing carbon dioxide emissions and
it defined the role of renewable energies in the production of electricity, in thermal uses and transport.
Early in 2008 a Presidential decree established a top-level Nuclear Policy Council underlining
the importance of nuclear technologies to France in terms of economic strength, notably power
supply. In March 2016 Areva, EdF and CEA announced the formation of the tripartite French Nuclear
Platform to improve the joint effectiveness of the three bodies and devise a shared vision of a
medium- and long-term goal for the industry, supporting the Nuclear Policy Council.
France strongly suggests that Member States use services offered by the IAEA and
implement the recommendations they obtain in the inspection reports.
As a concrete action plan, France supports on-site measures in order to avoid overexposure
of workers, major release of radioactivity to the environment and severe damages to the nuclear
installation, such as a high level of automatic reactor control and monitoring systems and an auxiliary
cooling systems. France suggests rapid and Web-based information exchange with authorities and all
bodies involved on a national, regional and local level and also with the emergency organizations and
authorities in neighboring countries. 
France welcomes every step taken towards the achievement of such agreements, for the
sake of peace and international cooperation.