Head of Energy Law and Policy Denise Cheong and Research Fellow Nivedita S have co-authored an article on “Fukushima Daiichi ALPS-Treated Water Discharge: Bolstering Norms to Protect the Marine Environment” that has just been published in Volume 12 (2024): Issue 2 (Dec 2024) of the Korean Journal of International and Comparative Law.

Abstract

The discharge of the ALPS-treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station raises complex issues regarding the normative framework governing its impact on the marine environment. Due to its cross-cutting nature, international norms from both the nuclear and ocean domains are potentially applicable. While the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safety review has focused on assessing the consistency of Japan’s actions with the safety standards, less attention has been paid to international conventions relevant to the discharge. This article aims to (i) clarify the key international norms for marine environmental protection from both domains and consider how they interrelate; and (ii) identify governance challenges associated with these norms. It examines governance concerns related to safety standards and key international conventions, concluding with recommendations to strengthen and develop the normative framework.

The article is available here.