National Energy Issues
In the 1970s, the use of plutonium as an energy source was highly controversial. The Academy, in cooperation with Argonne National Laboratory, held a joint symposium that included a wide range of scholars from the sciences, social sciences and humanities; special interest groups; representatives of energy-related industries; the media; and politicians.
In the 1970s, the use of plutonium as an energy source was highly controversial. The Academy, in cooperation with Argonne National Laboratory, held a joint symposium that included a wide range of academics from the sciences, social sciences and humanities, special interest groups, representatives of energy-related industries, the media, and politicians, all of whom participate in determining energy policy. The resulting book stressed the socioeconomic considerations, such as income distribution, of alternative energy policies and the political realities that determine national energy policy. Other Academy studies have followed that focused on energy and the environment as international political and economic conditions changed over time.
Resulting Publication
- National Energy Issues – How Do We Decide? Plutonium as a Test Case, ed. Robert G. Sachs. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger Publishing Company, 1980. (out of print)