Nuclear Safety and Security
Nuclear energy has been widely promoted as a clean and carbon-free energy source that can make a significant contribution to achieving the climate change mitigation target of the Paris Agreement. Several ASEAN Member States aspire to include nuclear energy in their future and long-term power generation sources to boost their energy security and reduce their carbon emissions. While there is no operable nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia, radioactive materials are already widely used for civilian applications in medical, industrial, agricultural, and scientific research fields. Without stringent oversight on the use and handling of radioactive materials, there are potential risks of these being accidentally leaked, stolen and used for malicious purposes, or released indiscriminately by non-state actors. Hence, it is crucial to comprehensively analyse how radiological security, a subset of nuclear security, can be further strengthened in the context of Southeast Asia’s security environment. This research project focuses on prospects for and emerging challenges to civilian nuclear energy development in Southeast Asia as well as the effectiveness of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) in enhancing regional nuclear governance. It identifies and examines gaps in nuclear governance in the region and how ASEAN Member States, through the ASEANTOM, deepens cooperation on civilian nuclear energy, including nuclear safety, security, and nuclear emergency preparedness and response.
Latest Publications
RSIS Commentaries
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, The COP28 Pledge to Accelerate Nuclear Power Capacity, RSIS Commentary CO23185, 19 December 2023.
- Mely Caballero-Anthony, Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano ,Fukushima Water Release: Trusting Scientific Innovation and Nuclear Safety Regime, RSIS Commentary CO23120, 28 August 2023.
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, ASEAN’s Growing Agenda on Nuclear Security, RSIS Commentary CO23104, 31 July 2023.
NTS Insights / Briefs
NTS/Policy Reports
NTS Bulletin
- Julius Cesar Trajano, Securing Clean Energy from Nuclear Power for Climate Change Mitigation, NTS Bulletin September 2023, 21 September 2023.
- Margareth Sembiring, Climate Security and SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, NTS Bulletin May 2023, 19 May 2023
Chapters in Edited Books
2022 Publications
RSIS Commentaries
- Julius Cesar Trajano, Small Modular Reactors in the Philippines’ Journey Toward Nuclear Energy, RSIS Commentary CO22125, 5 December 2022
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, Human Development and Mental Health: New Approaches and Metrics Needed, RSIS Commentary CO22094, 28 September 2022.
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, Reviving Nuclear Power: Is the Philippines Ready?, RSIS Commentary CO22019, 8 March 2022
Edited Books / Special Issues
Chapters in Edited Books
NTS Insights / Briefs
Journal Articles
- Mely Caballero-Anthony, and Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, “Examining Southeast Asia’s Diplomacy on Nuclear Disarmament and Nuclear Security: Shared Norms and a Regional Agenda” in Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2022, pp. 1-25
- “Ready for Nuclear Energy?: A Policy Review of the Philippines’ Nuclear Energy Plan and Participation in the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy” in International Journal of Nuclear Security, Vol. 7, No. 1 , 2022, Article 16
2021 Publications
RSIS Commentaries
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, COP26: The Indispensable Role of Nuclear Power, RSIS Commentary CO21164, 11 November 2021.
- Julius Cesar Trajano, Global Health Security COVID-19 and Its Impacts – Battling Marine Plastic Waste: Nuclear Technology’s Role, RSIS Commentary CO21019, 3 February 2021
Chapters in Edited Books
- Julius Cesar Trajano, et al., “Covid-19 and Security Sector Responses in Southeast Asia” in Albrecht Schnabel, Upasana Garoo, Rohit Karki and Kevin Socquet-Clerc (Eds.), Security Sector Responses to Covid-19 in the Asia-Pacific Region: Reflections on an Ongoing Health Crisis, Geneva: DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, 2021, pp.127-205.
- Julius Cesar Trajano, Post-Nuclear Security Summits: The Need for Nuclear Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia in Alistair D.B. Cook and Tamara Nair (eds.), Non-Traditional Security in the Asia-Pacific: A Decade of Perspective. Singapore: World Scientific, 2021, pp. 77-82.
2020 - 2017 Publications
RSIS Commentaries
- Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, Global Health Security – Nuclear Technology and Disease Prevention: What ASEAN Can Do, RSIS Commentary CO20049, 25 March 2020.
- Mely Caballero-Anthony and Julius Cesar Trajano, Missing Iridium: Enhancing Regional Nuclear Security, RSIS Commentary CO18142, 29 August 2018.
- Julius Cesar Trajano, Fukushima Six Years After: East Asia’s Nuclear Energy Conundrum, RSIS Commentary CO17045, 16 March 2017
NTS/Policy Reports
NTS Insight
Chapters in Edited Books
- Julius Cesar Trajano, “Advancing a Regional Pathway to Enhance Nuclear Energy Governance in Southeast Asia” in Mely Caballero-Anthony and Lina Gong(Eds.), Non-Traditional Security Issues in ASEAN: Agendas for Action. Singapore: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, 2020.
- Mely Caballero-Anthony and Julius Cesar Trajano, “Enhancing nuclear energy cooperation in ASEAN: Regional norms and challenges.” Chapter 7 in Peter Van Ness, Mel Gurtov (eds.) Learning from Fukushima : Nuclear Power in East Asia. Canberra: Australia National University Press, 2017.
Journal Articles
- “The Future of Nuclear Security in the Asia-Pacific: Expanding the Role of Southeast Asia” (with Mely Caballero-Anthony) in International Journal of Nuclear Security, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2020. Article 8
- “A Policy Analysis of Nuclear Safety Culture and Security Culture in East Asia: Examining Best Practices and Challenges, Nuclear Engineering and Technology” in A Policy Analysis of Nuclear Safety Culture and Security Culture in East Asia: Examining Best Practices and Challenges, Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 51, , 2019,
Op-eds
2016-2013 Publications
RSIS Commentaries
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Floating Nuclear Power Plants: Are They Safe and Secure?, RSIS Commentaries, 7 October 2016.
- Margareth Sembiring, Climate Change and Renewable Energy: Mitigation or Vulnerability?, RSIS Commentaries, 13 July 2016.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano and Phidel Vineles, Road To Low-Carbon ASEAN Community, RSIS Commentaries, 17 June 2016.
- Olli Heinonen, Growth of Nuclear Energy: Issues in Safety, Safeguards and Security, RSIS Commentaries,24 May 2016.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Cheaper Fossil Fuels: The Relevance of Nuclear Energy, RSIS Commentaries, 9 May 2016.
- Alvin Chew, Nuclear Terrorism: Public Education as Effective Counter, RSIS Commentaries, 12 April 2016.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Five Years After Fukushima: Southeast Asia’s Nuclear Dilemma, RSIS Commentaries, 17 March 2016.
- Ong Keng Yong and Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Strengthening Energy Security: Key to Sustainable Development in Asia, RSIS Commentaries, 26 October 2015.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, An ASEAN Nuclear Crisis Centre: Preparing for a Technological Disaster in Southeast Asia, RSIS Commentaries, 9 June 2015.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano. Nuclear Safety in Southeast Asia: Lessons from the Nuclear Pioneers. RSIS Commentaries, 9 February 2015.
- Margareth Sembiring and Julius Cesar I. Trajano.Renewable Energy in Southeast Asia: Priorities and Commitments Needed. RSIS Commentaries, 28 November 2014.
- Mely Caballero-Anthony, Alistair D. B. Cook, Julius Cesar I. Trajano, and Margareth Sembiring. Can ASEAN Develop a Robust Nuclear Energy Regime? RSIS Commentaries, 4 November 2014.
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies. Energy Security in the 21st Century: A Human Security Perspective. NTS Bulletin, October 2014.
- Sofiah Jamil. Nuclear Energy in Southeast Asia: Public Engagement Before Policies, RSIS Commentaries, 23 April 2014.
- Margareth Sembiring. Energy Security: Would Vietnam’s Ninh Thuan Nuclearise Southeast Asia? RSIS Commentaries, 16 December 2013.
NTS Reports
- Mely Caballero-Anthony, Alistair D. B. Cook, Julius Cesar I. Trajano, and Margareth Sembiring.The Sustainability of Nuclear Energy in Southeast Asia: Opportunities and Challenges. NTS Report No. 1, October 2014.
Event Reports
- RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, Nuclear Safety and Cooperation in ASEAN: An RSIS Roundtable at the Singapore International Energy Week 2016, 28 October 2016 (Report, Singapore: RSIS Centre for NTS Studies, 2016).
- RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies. International Conference on Nuclear Governance Post-Fukushima, 31 October 2013. (Report, Singapore: RSIS Centre for NTS Studies, 2016).
NTS Insight
Edited Chapters
- Margareth Sembiring, Energy Security and Connectivity in Asia and Europe Edited Chapters, 04 July 2016.
- Mely Caballero-Anthony, Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, Enhancing nuclear energy cooperation in ASEAN: Regional norms and challenges, 29 Sep 2017
Journal Articles
- Mely Caballero-Anthony and Julius Cesar I. Trajano (2015) The State of Nuclear Energy in ASEAN: Regional Norms and Challenges. Asian Perspective: October-December 2015, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 695-724. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano. Cheaper Fossil Fuels: The Relevance of Nuclear Energy
- “The State of Nuclear Energy in ASEAN: Regional Norms and Challenges” (with Mely Caballero-Anthony) in Asian Perspective, Vol. 39, No. 4, 2015. pp. 695–724
- Trajano, Julius Cesar I. “Conflits territoriaux Philippines-Chine : Statu quo fragile [Philippines-China Territorial Conflict: Fragile Status Quo].” Study of the Southeast Asia Observatory 1 (2014): 15-18.
- Trajano, Julius Cesar I. “Ethnic Nationalism and Separatism in West Papua, Indonesia.” Journal of Peace, Conflict and Development 16 (2010): 12-35.
Op-Eds
- Margareth Sembiring, Vietnam’s vision for a renewable energy future Op-Eds, 12 August 2016.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Five years after Fukushima: S-E Asia’s nuclear dilemma, The Straits Times, 14 April 2016.
- Ong Keng Yong and Julius Cesar I. Trajano, Strengthening energy security key to sustainable development in Asia, The Business Times, 22 October 2015.
Year In Review
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, “Post-Nuclear Security Summits: The Need for Nuclear Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia,” in RSIS Non-Traditional Security Year in Review 2016, Singapore: RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, 2016. pp. 34-36.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, “Post-Nuclear Security Summits: The Need for Nuclear Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia,” in RSIS Non-Traditional Security Year in Review 2016, Singapore: RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, 2016. pp.37.
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, “The Future of Nuclear Power in Asia and Europe,” in RSIS Non-Traditional Security Year in Review 2015, Singapore: RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, 2015. pp. 46-49.
- Margareth Sembiring and Julius Cesar I. Trajano, “Building Regional Preparedness for Nuclear Energy,” in RSIS Non-Traditional Security Year in Review 2014. pp. 30–32
- Julius Cesar I. Trajano, “Shale Gas Industry in China and India Faces Reality Check,” in RSIS Non-Traditional Security Year in Review 2014. p. 33
Events
- 6th CSCAP Nuclear Energy Experts Group Meeting, 27-28 February 2017, Singapore.
- Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Southeast Asia Regional Meeting 2016, 8-9 December 2016, Singapore.
- RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture by Dr Olli Heinonen, S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, RSIS, “Regional Norms for Cooperation on Nuclear Safety and Radiological Emergency in South East Asia,” 2 November 2016, Singapore.
- RSIS Roundtable at the Singapore International Energy Week 2016, “Nuclear Safety and Cooperation in ASEAN,” 28 October 2016, Singapore.
- RSIS Seminar by Dr Olli Heinonen, S Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, RSIS, “Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Nuclear Safety in the Asia-Pacific,” 25 October 2016, Singapore.
- 5th CSCAP Nuclear Energy Experts Group Meeting, 19-20 Singapore 2016, Singapore.
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