1st Edition

Australia's Uranium Trade The Domestic and Foreign Policy Challenges of a Contentious Export

By Stephan Frühling, Michael Clarke Copyright 2011

    Australia's Uranium Trade explores why the export of uranium remains a highly controversial issue in Australia and how this affects Australia's engagement with the strategic, regime and market realms of international nuclear affairs. The book focuses on the key challenges facing Australian policy makers in a twenty-first century context where civilian nuclear energy consumption is expanding significantly while at the same time the international nuclear nonproliferation regime is subject to increasing, and unprecedented, pressures. By focusing on Australia as a prominent case study, the book is concerned with how a traditionally strong supporter of the international nuclear nonproliferation regime is attempting to recalibrate its interest in maximizing the economic and diplomatic benefits of increased uranium exports during a period of flux in the strategic, regime and market realms of nuclear affairs. Australia's Uranium Trade provides broader lessons for how - indeed whether - nuclear suppliers worldwide are adapting to the changing nuclear environment internationally.

    Introduction, MichaelClarke, StephanFrühling, AndrewO’Neil; Part I International Context; Chapter 1 The Nuclear Energy Revival and Global Governance, TrevorFindlay; Chapter 2 Australia’s Uranium Exports and Nuclear Arsenal Expansion, MatthewFuhrmann; Chapter 3 Industry Perspectives on Non-Proliferation, MartineLetts, FionaCunningham; Part II Domestic Policy Challenges; Chapter 4 The Economic Potential of Uranium Mining for Australia, RichardLeaver; Chapter 5 The Third Wave of the Uranium Export Debate, MichaelClarke; Chapter 6 The Politics of Uranium Mining in Australia, GeordanGraetz, HaydonManning; Part III Foreign Policy Challenges; Chapter 7 Powering Major Powers, RoryMedcalf; Chapter 8 Australian and Canadian Nuclear Policy, CathyMoloney;

    Biography

    Michael Clarke is an Australian Research Council Research Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Stephan Frühling is a Lecturer in strategic and defence studies at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia and is also the managing editor of the journal Security Challenges. Andrew O’Neil is Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.

    'This book is essential reading for those with a serious interest in Australian uranium policy. The book cuts across the usual emotive arguments to bring out the policy complexities involved with uranium as a strategically important energy resource, and how uranium supply figures in Australia's pursuit of bilateral, regional and global objectives.' John Carlson, Lowy Institute; Director General, Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office 1989-2010 'An insightful book on the history and "grand bargain" that underpins Australia's uranium export policy, and the merits of continuing such a policy in a dramatically altered international environment. It is a valuable contribution to understanding the dynamics of policy and trade in a strategic commodity. The book is especially important reading in light of the contemporary resurgence of interest in nuclear energy.' Muthiah Alagappa, East-West Center, USA '... there is much in this book which will be of interest to students of these long-running controversies...' New Zealand International Review