Nuclear testing

Nuclear testing
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Introduction
This paper analyses the ethical issues relating to nuclear development and testing. It highlights the main areas of concern in nuclear industry and how they impacts on the society. It also discusses the cultural and demographic factors influenced by nuclear testing and development activities.
Ethical considerations in nuclear testing
Nuclear development and testing has raised a heated debate since the striking of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945 causing massive damage to human race and the environment. Ethical issues relates to its spread, health and environmental, effects on poor population of the society and injustice to current and future generations and associated financial costs of setting up nuclear plant.
Despite the growing negative evidence about nuclear industry, it is worrying that many governments, scientists and economic leaders have continued to promote this industry with governments competing to develop nuclear weapons as away to show their military strengths. Nuclear development involves large financial costs which have impacted negatively on economic performances of many nations such as South Korea and Iran.
Possession of nuclear weapons, development and testing is viewed as immoral and unethical in today’s world. It prsents a greater danger to survival of human race and compromises world peace and security. Given the huge possible damage, development of these weapons may be used to undermine world peace and eliminate human race. Good ethics demands that human development and integrity of human creation should be given priority over arms development which promotes insecurity and threatens human life, (ethics of nuclear power, n. d).
There are lies advanced by pro- nuclear developers, who claim that nuclear energy as a replacement of fossil fuel is the solution to global warming and that there is no connection between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Studies have shown that nuclear fuel cycle also emits green house gasses. Radioactive wastes from nuclear reactors cannot be ignored for they adversely affect environment and human life especially in remote areas where they are disposed despite their high toxic content.
Uranium miners, soldiers attending to atomic bombs, communities in uranium areas and pacific islanders have been affected throughout the history of uranium materials, with some governments currently giving compensation for the damages they caused although they are coming very late. This injustice continues to be perpetuated by many governments today. Depleted uranium weapons continue to affect human race and environment especially in Afghanistan and Iraq today.
Nuclear secrecy is an ethical issue today with massive secret disposal of nuclear wastes in the Mediterranean and other water bodies, especially in China and US without public knowledge. Secrecy ha...