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The World Nuclear Association is the global industrial organisation that seeks to promote the peaceful worldwide use of nuclear power as a sustainable energy resource for the coming centuries. Specifically, the WNA is concerned with nuclear power generation and all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, including mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, plant manufacture, transport, and the safe disposition of spent fuel.
The WNA serves its Members by facilitating their interaction on technical, commercial and policy matters and by promoting wider public understanding of nuclear technology. This dual role can be stated as follows:
- To serve as the pre-eminent global forum and commercial meeting place for those engaged in providing the world's largest source of safe, economic and environmentally friendly energy; and
- To provide a respected information service on nuclear energy and to speak pro-actively on behalf of the nuclear industry amongst policymakers, opinion leaders, the media and the public.
WNA Members appoint the Director General and elect a Board of Management. The World Nuclear Association's DG is John Ritch. The Chairman of the Board is Jose Luis Gonzalez, and the Vice Chairman is Gerald Grandey.
The WNA's Board of Management fulfils all statutory duties pertaining to the organisation's governance and sets WNA policies and strategic objectives, subject to approval by the full membership.
The WNA's Council of Advisers serves as a means of fostering interchange among some of the world's top nuclear industry leaders and eliciting their advice and support in the conduct of WNA strategy.
The Co-Chairmen of the Council are Hans Blix, Director General-Emeritus of the IAEA, and Zack T. Pate, Chairman-Emeritus of WANO. The Council membership includes industry leaders representing a wide diversity of countries and companies involved in the nuclear fuel cycle.
The World Nuclear Association has established a Charter of Ethics to serve as a common credo amongst its Member organizations. This affirmation of values and principles summarizes the responsibilities of the nuclear industry and the surrounding legal and institutional framework that has been constructed through international cooperation to fulfil President Eisenhower's seminal vision of 'Atoms for Peace'.
Institutional Membership in the WNA is comprised mainly of companies, and the WNA's twice-yearly meetings have primarily a commercial focus. Current WNA Members are responsible for some 90% of the world's nuclear-generated electricity outside the USA and 90% of world uranium, conversion and enrichment production.
Today nuclear power plants are operational in countries that comprise 64% of the world's population. Even more remarkably, new nuclear power reactors are in planning or construction in countries representing 50% of world population.
The WNA is now expanding its membership, particularly in non-OECD countries where nuclear power is produced or where this option is under active consideration. Already WNA members are located in countries representing 80% of the world's population.
The annual subscription fee for an Institutional Member is based on its size and scale of activity. Upon receiving an inquiry or application, the Secretariat determines the fee according to standard criteria and informs the candidate organisation accordingly. The fee structure provides, in many cases, for significant discounts for organisations located in countries outside the OECD.
A low-fee 'Non-Commercial Membership' is available for organisations with a solely academic, research, policy or regulatory function - that is, organisations that have no direct commercial or advocacy interest in the nuclear fuel cycle but wish to participate in an ongoing global forum that involves a preponderance of the nuclear industry's major companies.
The essential role of the World Nuclear Association is to facilitate commercially valuable interaction among its Institutional Members.
Ongoing WNA working groups, consisting of Institutional Members and supported by the London-based Secretariat, share information and develop analysis on a range of technical, trade and environmental matters. These subjects include:
- nuclear fuel production and industry economics
- nuclear trade issues
- radiological protection
- 'nuclear event' definition
- transport
- waste management and decommissioning.
WNA strategy groups - comprised of reps from various companies and nuclear associations - perform a similar coordinating function within the global nuclear industry. The WNA Strategy Group on Climate Change & Sustainable Development is developing industry policy on these crucial topics, and the WNA Global Strategies Group is working on the broader front of public education and acceptance. The aim of both Groups is to promote a fundamental point embodied in the WNA Charter of Ethics: that nuclear energy is not a competitor of 'renewable' technologies such as wind and solar power, but rather a needed partner in meeting the world's vast and expanding need for clean energy.
When meeting to discuss industry issues, WNA members are cautioned to avoid any topic that could potentially create even the impression of an attempt to set prices or engage in other anti-competitive behaviour. Accordingly, topics not discussed in WNA meetings include terms of specific contracts; current or projected prices for products or services; allocation of markets; refusals to deal with particular suppliers or customers; or any similar matters that might impair competition within any segment of the nuclear industry.
A principal function of the WNA Secretariat is to provide information services to Members, policymakers, the media and the public. Two websites are used - one for Members only, the other for the general public at www.world-nuclear.org. Much of the information from WNA working groups is adapted for posting on the public website.
On the public website, the Secretariat's aim is to maintain the best available non-technical source of information on the global nuclear industry. The WNA website presents news, reference documents, and a wide range of educational and explanatory papers. The guiding philosophy is to achieve impeccable accuracy and to let the facts speak for themselves. In this spirit, the Secretariat welcomes feedback from website users.
One feature on the website is the WNA AutoEssay, a fact-filled multi-media presentation offering the case for nuclear energy in 50 short 'pages' which appear sequentially. Titled Why Tomorrow's World Needs Nuclear Energy, the AutoEssay may be viewed on 'autoplay', which takes 14 minutes, or manually, which allows the user to choose the pace. The AutoEssay is available in over 20 languages. The WNA makes available to members and interested parties a mini-CD that contains the AutoEssay in both “Flash” and PowerPoint versions and the WNA Charter of Ethics -- all in multiple languages. Click here for the AutoEssay text.
In addition to steadily updating its website information, the WNA Secretariat produces occasional printed publications to fill identified needs in the realm of public advocacy and understanding. A new publication - now in preparation - expands and documents the basic argument in the WNA AutoEssay. It will be titled Crisis Without Precedent: Why Tomorrow's World Needs Nuclear Energy.
Backing up WNA information services is a specialist library at WNA headquarters in London. The WNA library is open to individuals by telephone appointment. Enquiries can be made via wna@world-nuclear.org.
The WNA's Annual Symposium in London provides a Member forum, spotlights the role of the WNA's worldwide Affiliates and serves as a platform for distinguished speakers from throughout the world nuclear industry. At some Symposia the WNA presents an award for 'Distinguished Contribution to the Peaceful Worldwide Use of Nuclear Energy'.
In 2002, the WNA award was given to the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and those responsible for its creation. In 2003, the award went to the 'Atoms for Peace' vision offered by President Dwight Eisenhower to the United Nations General Assembly in 1953. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of that historic initiative, WNA plaques were presented to 3 organisations that are the custodians of that vision: the Eisenhower Institute, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the new World Nuclear University.
In working to improve wider understanding of nuclear energy, the WNA Secretariat maintains cooperative links with a variety of national and regional nuclear associations and advocates.
WNA 'Independent Affiliates' comprise diverse nuclear-related organizations that have decided on affiliation with the WNA as a symbolic act of partnership:
- professional organisations with an international membership and a specific focus of interest;
- national or regional commercially-based membership organisations;
- national nuclear societies; and
- citizens' organisations supporting nuclear power as a key clean energy option.
As the term 'Independent Affiliate' implies, WNA affiliation entails neither financial obligation nor implications for an organisation's independence.
At its annual Symposium, the WNA spotlights the activities and achievements of key WNA Affiliates and their contribution to nuclear affairs worldwide. For Affiliates who can benefit from the assistance, the WNA provides website support services at no charge.
WNA Affiliates include:
Nationally oriented Affiliates include:
Accredited to the United Nations, the WNA is an independent, non-profit organisation, funded primarily by membership subscriptions.
The World Nuclear Association, Calton House, 22a St. James's Square, London SW1Y 4JH.
Tel +44 (0) 20 7451 1520. Fax: +44 (0) 20 7839 1501.
Website: www.world-nuclear.org. E-mail: wna@world-nuclear.org. |
