Is nuclear energy safe? Is it clean? Do we even need it? We talk to experts from both sides of the debate – Dr Paul Dorfman, Associate Fellow at University of Sussex and Chair of the Nuclear Consulting Group and Jessica Johnson, Communications and Advocacy Director at Nuclear Europe – about how nuclear energy is generated and whether it can play a role in the UK’s transition to Net Zero.
Dr Paul Dorfman is Associate Fellow in the Science Policy Research Unit at Sussex Business School, the University of Sussex. He is Chair of the Nuclear Consulting Group, a Member of the Irish Govt. Environment Protection Agency, the Radiation Protection Advisory Committee; a Member of the International Nuclear Risk Assessment Group and a Nuclear Researcher for Greenpeace Environmental Trust.
Paul served as Secretary to the UK Govt. scientific advisory Committee Examining Radiation Risks from Internal Emitters (CERRIE); led an European Environment Agency (EEA) response to Fukushima; served as Expert to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); Advisor to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Nuclear Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP); Adviser to the French Govt. Assemblee Nationale relative à la Faisabilité Technique et Financière du Démantèlement des Installations Nucléaire; and drafted sets of UK Department of Health National Health Service (NHS) guidance.
Jessica Johnson is currently the Communications & Advocacy Director at nucleareurope, a position which she has held since 2017. Her role includes the development of internal & external communications strategies, event organisation, publications and other communications tools. She currently also handles all issues relating to sustainability including, but not limited to, sustainable finance, raw materials impacts, land use, and the circular economy. She is also responsible for liaising with different EU stakeholders such as the European Parliament, trade unions and NGOs.
Supporting info provided by podcast guests:
Jessica Johnson
Assessments Of The Radiation Effects From The Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor Accident
Integrated Life-Cycle Assessment of Electricity Sources
International Energy Agency: Projected Costs of Generation Electricity
World Energy Outlook 2022 (WEO)
The Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident: An overview (unscear.org).
Dr Paul Dorfman
Climate Impact UK Nuclear Military
Paul Dorfman article in New Statesman – The Debate: Nuclear is already well past its sell-by date