Ukraine: Russia-Ukraine War and Nuclear Energy
(Updated 20 June 2022)

• In February 2022, Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine.
• On 24 February Ukraine informed the IAEA that Russian forces had taken control of all facilities of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Control of the site was returned to Ukrainian personnel on 31 March.
• In the early hours of 4 March the Zaporizhzhia plant in southeastern Ukraine became the first operating civil nuclear power plant to come under armed attack. Fighting between forces overnight resulted in a projectile hitting a training building within the site of the six-unit plant. Russian forces then took control of the plant.
• The six reactors were not affected and there was no release of radioactive material.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is closely monitoring developments in the country with respect to its nuclear facilities and is providing regular updates on the situation."

Links: https://www.world-nuclear.org
https://www.world-nuclear.org/ukraine-information/ukraine-russia-war-and-nuclear-energy.aspx

"Ein Ende der Stromgewinnung aus Atomkraft streben die sieben großen Industriestaaten Deutschland, USA, Kanada, Großbritannien, Frankreich, Japan und Italien hingegen nicht gemeinsam an. 'Jene Länder, die sich für ihre Nutzung entscheiden, bekräftigten die Rolle der Kernenergie in ihrem Energiemix', heißt es in der Abschlusserklärung (PDF). Im Gegensatz zu Deutschland bekennen sich unter anderem Frankreich und Großbritannien zur Atomkraft und betreiben ihren Ausbau.

Bei der Atomkraft gehe es darum, erschwingliche kohlenstoffarme Energie bereitzustellen, heißt es weiter in der Erklärung. Mit ihrer Grundlastenergie und Netzflexibilität soll Atomkraft zur Energieversorgungssicherheit beitragen. Fortschrittliche Nukleartechnik wie kleine modulare Reaktoren (SMR) könnten innerhalb des nächsten Jahrzehnts wahrscheinlich dazu beitragen, dass mehr Länder weltweit Atomkraft als Teil ihres Energiemixes übernehmen. Die G7 betonen, dass die höchsten Standards der nuklearen Sicherheit für alle Länder wichtig seien." (Heise Online 27.5. 2022 / Klima-, Energie- und Umweltminister in Berlin)

Links: https://www.heise.de/news/G7-bekennen-sich-erstmals-zum-Ende-der-Kohleverstromung-Atomkraft-bleibt-Option-7124252.html
https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deutschland-welt/leopoldina-vize-schloegl-atomkraft-klimapolitisch-unsinnig,T9hLEEJ

"The Nuclear Studies Institute was founded in 1995 at American University in Washington, D.C. as a component of the American University College of Arts and Sciences. The purpose of the Institute is to educate American University graduate and undergraduate students, as well as the general public, about the key points of nuclear history, nuclear culture in the United States, and the threats still posed by nuclear weapons in the modern world." (...)

"The Institute participates in the Nuclear Education Project; a worldwide effort to improve access to teaching and learning materials regarding the history of the nuclear arms race and the ongoing movement to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Education Project was founded in 2004 by Dr. Peter Kuznick, Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, Dr. John W. Dower of MIT and Dr. Mark Selden.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_University_Nuclear_Studies_Institute

Eine Diskussionsveranstaltung mit Mitgliedern des Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Gensuikyo) für Studierende und Interessierte

Zeit: 23. Juni 2022   18:30 - 20:00

Ort: LIVE @ Campus of the University of Vienna
Department of East Asian Studies, Japanese Studies
Seminarraum JAP 1, 2K-EG-21, Ground floor to the left
Spitalgasse 2, Hof 2.4 (Campus), 1090 Vienna, Austria

Link: https://japanologie.univie.ac.at/startseite/einzelnews/news/ueberlebende-der-atombombenabwuerfe-hibakusha-erzaehlen/?

The Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society (RCC) is looking for a Director of Academic Programs to join its team. The position will start on 1 January 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is for up to six years, which includes a six-month probation period. 

Responsibilities
Depending on experience, the candidate’s responsibilities will span the following:

• Managing the RCC’s digital publications; coordinating submissions and editing
• Support grant writing
• Representing the RCC at local, national, and international events
• Providing academic support for visiting scholars

Qualifications
Candidates for this position must have:

• a PhD in Environmental History, Environmental Anthropology, Human Geography, Environmental Ethics or a related discipline
• Fluent English, including exceptionally strong English writing and editing skills
• Excellent communication and organization skills and the ability to work well in a team

Candidates ideally have:

• Strong German language skills
• Grant writing experience
• Familiarity with social media
• Experience in academic management

The position is a full-time (40.1 hours a week), in-house, service position. The position begins ideally on 1 January 2023; depending on the candidate’s previous contracts with German universities, it can run up to six years. It does not include paid time for individual research endeavors, and would suit a candidate who is looking to move into academic administration, or gain skills in management and coordination to complement a research career [...]

To apply, please send your cover letter, CV (max. 4 pages), an academic writing sample (max. 2 pages), and the contact information of two references in a single PDF document to jobs@rcc.lmu.de by 25 August 2022. Interviews will take place on 26–27 September 2022, ideally in person in Munich.