Making nuclear technology safer
Core failures hampered the efficient handling of the Fukushima meltdown
A year after the tsunami and the resulting Fukushima nuclear meltdown, the painfully slow process of reviving the communities devastated by the twin disasters continues.
While some progress has been made in clearing away the rubble left in the wake of the floods, the pace of rebuilding seemingly remains sluggish.
This is inevitable given the scale of the disaster and the nature of the bureaucracy that will grow up around such a large and expensive reconstruction effort.
However, priority must be given to meeting the needs of those who lost relatives and their livelihoods in the tsunami.
The Fukushima nuclear meltdown changed the focus of the international debate about the future of nuclear power and the generation of the sustainable energy needed for global economic development.
While there has been a popular backlash against nuclear power which may restrict its use in many countries, calmer heads are focusing on making the technology even safer.
Despite its dangers, for now, nuclear power remains one of the most commercially viable and environmentally sustainable sources of energy.
The fallout of the Fukushima meltdown could have been handled much better if it was not for important regulatory and procedural failures. The guilty companies and government officials must be held to account.
