Jakarta, 8 June 2022

Online, 18 May 2022 – In partnership with the World Nuclear Association (WNA), The ASEAN Centre for Energy has had organised an online workshop on effective nuclear communication, under the implementation of APAEC Phase II: 2021 – 2025, which aims to build human resource capabilities on nuclear science and technology for power generation.

During the workshop, Prof. Frederic Bouder from the University of Stavanger had been bracing Nuclear energy potential versus other energy sources; in a summative review, he sum up ―risk perception drivers‖ in a Nuclear‘s dilemma that people have worried the most: (i). Nuclear cause radiation exposure, (ii). Nuclear creates pollution, (iii). Environmentalists don‘t like it, (iv). It‘s a close call of war.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jonathan Cobb from the World Nuclear Association has led participants on Nuclear Communication and Advocacy insight and conveyed, “Nuclear has low acceptance in public. But, facts they must know about the energy sources are reduced of finite resources, long-term trajectories, availability, affordability, reliability, and safety“.

And what effective‘s Nuclear perception means for society? John Lindberg as the sociologists expressed this significance within psychological view as follows:
– Inverse risk Vs. Benefits (the higher benefit, the lower risk);
– Erase bad perceptions;
– Repeal the stress-related death
(Chernobyl & Fukushima Daiichi);
– Avoid backfire effect, heuristic, confirmation bias, and cognitive dissonance.

At the same time, Alison Oliver as the Senior Strategic Communications Manager of ENEC/ Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) stresses to gradually build trust with public and stakeholders; especially to put aside public myth on Nuclear power plants such as Nuclear reactor can explode like a bomb, nuclear energy can not reduce our dependence on foreign oil, no solution to manage huge amounts of nuclear waste, and so forth.

Finally, the partnership to enhance public awareness on Nuclear energy is further emphasised by ASEAN official, namely Ms. Zubaidah Haji Mahmud (Head of Compliance & International Division, Safety Health and Environment National Authority/ SHENA, Brunei Darussalam), Mr. Gerardo D. Erguiza Jr. (Undersecretary, Department of Energy Philippines and Chair of NEC-SSN), Mr. King Lee (Director of Harmony Programme, World Nuclear Association), Dr. Nuki Agya Utama (Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy).

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