Mitigating the Nuclear ‘Dual-Use Dilemma’: Suggestions for the Enhancement of the Culture of Responsibility

The speech aims at delineating a proper ethical and legal response to the ‘dual-use dilemma’ of nuclear science and technologies. After assessing the different models of governance proposed so far in nuclear field for addressing the ‘dual-use’ feature of nuclear technologies, and based on precautionary, proactionary or cost/benefit approaches, it suggests the adoption of a framework based on the notion of ‘responsible stewardship’. This model entails: (a) a constant analysis of nuclear technology, both on the side of risks and of benefits, through the involvement and cooperation of all the stakeholders in the field (the involvement of both ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ actors, i.e. governments and scientific community); (b) the adoption of policies through ‘hard law’ and ‘soft law’ sources, which should be periodically revised, and based on the proportionality principle and the reasonableness one (with a balance among rights and freedom, from a constitutional viewpoint); (c) an ongoing communication, dialogue and interaction between actors in the nuclear area. A specific attention is devoted to the balance between the freedom to research and the security needs. Then, the concrete ways for applying such model are explained, in particular with regards to the issue of control of materials, education of people, and control of information. Finally, the historical steps in the governance of nuclear technologies and the positions of different religions addressing the issue have been explored, in order to provide some examples of the suggested approach