Intertwined Securities: The Dilemma Between Environmental Security and Energy Security on Nuclear Power Plants Wastewater Release

Abstract The disposal of wastewater from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean, with the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency, began in 2023 and has sparked a series of questions from some countries about ‘security.’ In International Relations, the use of nuclear energy gains greater notoriety when studied from a military perspective. However, more recently, it is possible to note that issues not directly related to military affairs have been dealt with under this scope, being described as ‘risks’ or ‘threats’; this approach is defined by the Copenhagen School (1985) as ‘securitisation’. The aim of this work is to analyse whether cases of dumping radioactive wastewater from nuclear power plants could be securitised, limiting, or preventing other countries’ access to this type of energy matrix. The research was based on the contributions of Securitisation Theory and the debates on Energy Security and Environmental Security. By presenting and problematising the possibilities for managing and disposing of nuclear waste, the article concludes that underdeveloped or inadequate disposal mechanisms can generate serious risks for the international community, as well as limiting other countries’ access to nuclear technology for generating electricity, undermining the search for a balance between environmental and energy securities.