3rd Annual Doomsday Clock Symposium, January 9, 2012

The Science and Security Board and the Governing Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, with participation from the Sponsors, will consider the implications of recent events and trends for the future of humanity at the annual Doomsday Clock Symposium.

• What is the future of nuclear power after Fukushima?
• How are nuclear weapons to be managed in a world of increasing economic, political, and environmental volatility?
• What are the links among climate change, resource scarcity, conflict, and nuclear weapons?
• What is required for robust implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention?

10:00-11:15 am Nuclear weapons and prospects for disarmament

As implementation of New START proceeds, what steps should be taken next to ensure continued reductions in nuclear arsenals?

What are the obstacles to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons?

Panelists: Amb. Thomas Pickering,* International Crisis Group
Ret. Gen. Eugene Habiger, University of Georgia
Janne Nolan, American Security Project
Moderator: Steven Miller, Harvard University

 

 

 

11:30-12:45 pm Civilian nuclear power after Fukushima

How can societies and communities meet energy needs with least risk to health and safety and the greatest payoff for economic development?

How much risk are people willing to accept to their lives and communities for energy development?

How do we make decisions for the common good about energy technology development?  And who should be involved?

Are we locked into the current energy development path?  Are there alternatives that involve less risk to safety, health, and community?

Panelists: Robert Rosner,* University of Chicago
Allison Macfarlane,* George Mason University
George Apostolokis, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Moderator: Mark Hibbs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

 

12:45-1:30 pm  Luncheon

Speaker: Stanford Ovshinsky, Ovshinsky Innovations LLC
Introduced by:  Thomas Rosenbaum,* University of Chicago

1:45-3:00 pm  Climate emergency and public policy

How should we be thinking about the trade-offs between current injury and disruption from energy technologies-whether from fossil fuel, solar, nuclear, wind or any other- and future injury and disruption from climate change?

What was achieved at the UN conference at Durban in December 2011?

Panelists: James Hansen,* NASA
Susan Solomon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Moderator: Steve Cohen, Columbia University

3:15-4:30 pm  Biosecurity and government regulation

What was achieved at the Biological Weapons Convention meeting in December?

Are biological research facilities, adequately regulated to prevent releases of potentially harmful and novel biological agents?

Panelists: Kathleen Vogel, Cornell University
Marie Chevrier, Rutgers University, Camden
Moderator: Gerald Epstein, American Association for the Advancement of Science

4:30-5:00  Concluding remarks

Speaker: Robert Socolow,*  Princeton University

5:30 pm  Reception

Remarks: Lawrence Krauss, Arizona State University, Chair-Board of Sponsors

6:00-8:30 pm  Dinner

Featured Speaker: Elaine Scarry, Harvard University
Introduced by:Jayantha Dhanapala, Board of Sponsors
Moderator: Kennette Benedict, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

 

 

Location:  Jones Day
51 Louisiana Ave NW | Washington, D.C.
(by Invitation Only)

*Science and Security Board Member

Program of the 3rd Anual Doomsday Clock Symposium