Nuclear report shows better safekeeping

Nuclear security is typically a euphemism for a closed world that never admits publicly to any problems.

A report issued on the security of deadly nuclear materials found steady improvement, with seven countries in the last two years giving up most of their uranium and plutonium that can be readily turned into weapons. Their actions lowered the number of nations with appreciable fuel for atomic bombs to 25 from 32. “World leaders can claim significant progress in addressing the threat,” the report said. It cautioned, though, that “much work remains to be done.”

The 148-page report card came from the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a private advocacy group in Washington that promotes safekeeping of nuclear materials and urges governments to strengthen their defences against atomic terrorism. The group worked with the Economist Intelligence Unit, a company in London that analyses risks.

The report was released as world leaders prepared for their third nuclear security summit, to be held in March in The Hague. President Obama began the summit process as a way to pressure nations into improving their nuclear security, which has been one of his administration’s top foreign policy objectives. Previous summits were held in Washington in 2010 and Seoul, South Korea, in 2012. 

The first edition of the report, the Nuclear Materials Security Index, came out two years ago, just before the 2012 summit. It surveyed the precautions each country had in place and ranked them based on their safety practices, something that had never been done publicly. 

Sweeping upgrades

The updated rankings, posted online on Wednesday, contained a number of surprises and potential embarrassments. Australia remained in first place and even raised its score two points on a scale of 100, to 92 from 90. It did so by reducing its quantity of nuclear materials and by ratifying a treaty that commits countries to criminalise acts of nuclear terrorism and to cooperate in bringing nuclear criminals to justice.

The nations that made the biggest gains were Belgium (up seven points), Canada (up six points) and Japan (up six points). Belgium improved by passing new security legislation, joining a treaty and decreasing its quantity of materials. Canada ratified treaties and issued new regulations on the transport of atomic materials.

Japan made sweeping nuclear upgrades after the 2011 Fukushima reactor disaster, including the formation of a regulatory body to address nuclear safety and security. It rose from 23rd in the rankings (behind nations like Kazakhstan and South Africa) to 13th, where it is tied with Argentina. The United States lost one point and is now tied with Britain for 11th place. It fell because it excluded from nuclear safeguards a facility that handles atomic materials.

Worse, according to the authors of the report, the United States has not ratified two nuclear accords despite making commitments to do so. This “is particularly negative as other states block efforts to strengthen nuclear security, arguing that they will consider new initiatives only after the United States becomes party to the agreements,” the report said. North Korea remained in last place, its score an abysmal 30. The report found it seriously deficient on most issues of atomic security.

Pakistan, a nuclear outlaw in some respects, raised its score three points and its ranking from No. 24 to No. 22, “through a series of steps to update nuclear security regulations.” The seven countries removed from the list of those with bomb-making fuel were Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Sweden, Ukraine and Vietnam. According to the report, their new status means they possess one kilogram (2.2 pounds) or less of materials that can fuel nuclear arms.

Nuclear security is typically a euphemism for a closed world of barbed wire and armed guards that never admits publicly to any problems. Behind the scenes, however, atomic insiders have long told of risky practices and security flaws that could let crucial ingredients for nuclear arms fall into the wrong hands.

Two men were recently arrested in the nation of Georgia for trying to sell radium 226, a highly radioactive isotope seen as ideal for making dirty bombs that spread deadly material. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it receives more than 100 incident reports a year on unauthorised activities with nuclear and radioactive materials, including thefts and losses.In June, President Obama announced that the United States would host what is expected to be the final security summit, in 2016.

According to the latest report, the 2014 and 2016 summits will offer “moments of accountability for states to demonstrate progress on their own nuclear materials security” and their commitment to “working toward a robust global nuclear security system.”