- 10 minutes ago
Many countries are building nuclear power plants. They want to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and generate energy cost-effectively. But have they also thought about decommissioning? It can be very expensive.
Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:06in just seconds the cooling towers of a nuclear plant are blown up spectacular but dismantling
00:14an entire plant takes decades that's because many materials are radioactive and can't simply
00:20be disposed of the same way nuclear waste used to be nuclear power is experiencing a
00:29comeback worldwide but have operators given thought to decommissioning what happens when a
00:35nuclear plant reaches the end of its service life and above all how much will decommissioning and
00:40disposal cost also today on made china will export save growth ayurveda wellness between tradition
00:54and modernity and erica robin beauty pageant bravery
01:11this used to be the crown jewel of soviet technology nuclear power the energy of the future
01:18it was the pride of communist east germany i'm like the plant is fully functional and safe
01:24now it's become a nightmare oh it's beeping continuously let's move a meter away
01:32this is one of the biggest and most expensive civil decommissioning projects in the world
01:38it's taking decades longer than planned and is going to cost 10 times what it was supposed to
01:43happen we're at the northeastern edge of germany right by the baltic sea
01:51good morning here we have our decimeter we're entering a contaminated area
02:03court radlov's parents both worked here when the plant was still active
02:07now he's the person handling the pr for this place and right away we're in the middle of the plant
02:19wow it's huge
02:27this is the reactor shaft where the basket containing nuclear fuel was located
02:33it's the heart of every reactor unit
02:42is everything here contaminated
02:46we can assume there's contamination here if radioactivity is above the threshold we need to
02:51remove further layers it's very time consuming
02:57they are strict regulations about how long you can stay inside these holes
03:01you can't eat or drink or go to the bathroom
03:0435 years have passed since the shutdown
03:10and it still looks quite full here
03:15we've removed the major components that means the pressure vessel and its components
03:23after the power plants are shut down the most radioactive parts the nuclear fuel rods and
03:28everything around them are removed first the rods have to be left to cool down in the world's least
03:34fun pools and are then placed in interim storage this process alone can take years in this case it was
03:42seven
03:43but that was the easy part 330 000 tons of material still needs to be measured for radioactivity and dismantled
03:52because the problem with radiation is that you can't neutralize it nuclear fuel classified as high-level waste can continue
04:01to be radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years and needs to be locked away until it's no longer a
04:07threat the components closest to the fuel like parts of the pressure vessel have been
04:12been activated which means that they were exposed to radioactivity long enough that they themselves emit radiation
04:21these are classified as intermediate level waste and can't be decontaminated either
04:27so they too need to be stored away safely but the parts that were further away from the fuel can
04:34be decontaminated
04:35for that you need to sort them by material and then separate off the radioactive layers
04:43we have multiple decontamination areas like the dry blasting and high-pressure water blasting cabinets
04:51this way you can dramatically reduce the volume of waste that needs to be stored for the coming centuries
04:57then every piece of equipment needs to be cut down to the size of these boxes
05:03once it's all been double checked for remaining radiation the decontaminated material can finally be put into a skip
05:12according to the international atomic energy agency the whole process of decommissioning is supposed to take 15 to 20 years
05:22but the problem is that in a lot of cases many things just don't go according to plan
05:28like in this hole this is the so-called special building one radioactive control water was treated here during operations
05:40but there was an unpleasant surprise hiding in this building
05:48we know that there's quite a lot of contamination down here in the corner
05:54if there was a crack in the plaster somewhere
05:57which probably wasn't uncommon back in 1990
06:01it seeped into the cracks and spread from there
06:08a normal dose rate is 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 microsieverts
06:20it's under 0.2 now
06:23but if we go here
06:26oh god it's beeping almost continuously
06:30that's around 10 microsieverts
06:32this is an area where I'd say
06:34let's move a meter away
06:36and not stand or lie here for an hour
06:41every inch of this building needs to be checked for radiation
06:44and any contaminated concrete
06:46shaved or hammered off layer by layer
06:51and we haven't even reached the last step of this process
06:54storage
06:56Germany doesn't have any permanent storage site for nuclear waste yet
07:00that's why everything is currently kept in a building
07:03that we're not allowed to film the outside of
07:05for security reasons
07:17the lower and intermediate level waste
07:20which is 95% of the total waste here
07:23is supposed to be sent to a permanent storage site in central Germany
07:26that's currently being built
07:29as for the high level radioactive waste
07:31there are no concrete plans for where to store it yet
07:37and this isn't just a German problem
07:40only two of the 31 countries producing nuclear power
07:44are currently building a permanent storage site for high level waste
07:48so the fuel rods are going to have to sit around
07:52for a long, long time
07:56this plant and its legacy
07:58will keep this generation and the next busy
08:11China continues to focus on building new nuclear power plants
08:16despite high decommissioning costs
08:18nuclear power is making a comeback
08:21Beijing wants to reduce emissions and meet rising energy demand
08:26but the energy is mainly needed to increase exports
08:30the domestic market on the other hand is weakening
08:33are exports saving the economy
08:36or just masking structural problems?
08:43China's economy is slowing down
08:46its housing market is collapsing
08:48and people aren't buying
08:50yet it's still hitting 5% growth targets
08:53fueled by massive exports
08:55even as domestic debt rises
09:00debt has nearly doubled since 2015
09:03and it's now close to 100% of GDP
09:06but it's funded domestically mainly by household savings
09:11so China is a dual economy
09:14on the one hand it is slowing
09:15its domestic demand is slowing
09:18its investment is slowing
09:20but on the other hand its exports are growing massively
09:25exports help
09:27but the property market
09:28once the engine of China's economy
09:31is now slowing the country down
09:38housing prices have declined since 2022
09:42last year prices were down by more than 5%
09:49the real estate sector was around one-third of China's growth before 2020
09:55so it was huge
09:56that was a bubble
09:57and the end of that bubble has far-reaching implications for public services and household spending
10:03and the reason is because when the real estate market collapsed
10:06the local governments couldn't sell land anymore
10:09could not sell apartments or condos too
10:14so then that also reduced state funding dramatically
10:17and state salaries
10:19so that has been a big drag on consumption in China
10:24This slowdown in consumption is made worse by China's long-term challenge
10:29demographic decline
10:35Its working age population is set to shrink
10:38from nearly 70% in 2010
10:40to less than 40% in 2019
10:47A shrinking labour force means fewer young buyers
10:51or lower demand
10:53This increases pressure on economic growth
10:58People think that China's deflation is the result of excess capacity
11:03but it's the lack of sufficient demand
11:08So China should increase its domestic demand
11:14In recent years, consumer prices have barely budged
11:19Meanwhile, factories have often seen costs exceed product sale price
11:29Deflation is unusual for a major economy
11:32Yet China has been stuck with it for three years straight
11:36One reason is
11:40China has a very bare-bones social welfare system
11:44People who work for private enterprises
11:47but they don't have very good social welfare
11:51and as a result, they don't want to spend a lot
11:54because there's just a high amount of saving
11:57in China in case of a rainy day
12:02If growth doesn't come from inside, it has to come from outside
12:06Exports are now more important than ever
12:09as China's manufacturing strives to stay globally competitive
12:13at almost all costs
12:15Companies are on a survival mode
12:18They need market share
12:19They're ready to cut prices even at a loss
12:22And this is a little bit scary for Europe
12:25Certainly for Germany, but it's for the world
12:29And the Chinese financial system supports this
12:33So all the banks are state-owned
12:35So when they lend out money, they don't care about
12:38whether they make a profit
12:39They don't even care if they can recoup the money
12:42So the financial system will just keep giving money to all these companies
12:46And as a result, this vast oversupply continues
12:50And that's why it's so hard to compete with Chinese-made products
12:55The impact can be felt worldwide
12:59Countries like Germany face lower demand for their products
13:03While those trying to build factories
13:05struggle to compete with China's dumping prices
13:11China thinks China
13:13If Company A makes a loss
13:16but eventually that company can compete with somebody
13:20another company in the US or Europe
13:23that's good enough
13:24they will deal with profitability later
13:29China accepts this slower growth so that it can restructure its economy
13:34But what can be done to boost it?
13:40If we can take further fiscal and monetary policies
13:45we can adopt further fiscal and monetary policies
13:48China's economy can rebound very quickly
13:54I hope the Chinese government
13:57shift this focus from supply to demand
14:02and really devote its fiscal resources to more social welfare spending
14:08For now, Beijing is willing to endure short-term pain for long-term results
14:12like technological self-reliance and financial stability
14:21Another emerging economic sector from Asia
14:24holistic healing arts
14:26Ayurveda has existed in India for thousands of years
14:30It means science of life
14:33and considers the body, mind and soul of a person as one
14:38The right balance between the elements
14:41is said to strengthen self-healing powers
14:44Ayurveda is now being fundamentally modernized in India
14:51Oils, massages, relaxation
14:55That is what most people associate with Ayurveda
14:58But it goes far beyond that
15:01After centuries of staying in the background
15:03Ayurveda is now entering the mainstream
15:08Dr. Aishwarya Jairam, an Ayurveda practitioner for 15 years
15:12is witnessing this change closely
15:14She works at Sanjeevanam
15:17A hospital that brings traditional Ayurveda
15:19and modern healthcare together
15:21and has become a key centre for this shift
15:24It's a holistic thing
15:26We see people as a whole person
15:28We think about their body, their mind, their spirit
15:32Even spiritual also, we think about all these aspects
15:34Ayurveda has multifaceted dimensions
15:38Like it is not just wellness
15:40It is preventive, it is promotive, it is curative
15:45and definitely rehabilitative also
15:48Ayurveda, meaning the science of life
15:50is believed to be nearly 5,000 years old
15:54Its foundation lies in balance
15:56between the mind, body and spirit
15:59And it relies on nature, medicinal plants, food and lifestyle changes
16:05For the past 14 or 15 years, what I have seen is
16:08Initially all these people were coming for relaxation,
16:11rejuvenation, wellness, retreat and all
16:14But now what is happening is they are looking for a cure
16:16They understand or consider Ayurveda as their system of medicine
16:21or the system of medicine they want to follow
16:22above the Allopathy Godivastan system of medicine
16:26And institutions like Sanjeevanam show how the perception about Ayurveda is evolving
16:32No longer considered an age-old healing system
16:35followed by small traditional centres or solo practitioners
16:38but an organised and thriving sector being studied by modern research
16:43It is very much an industry now
16:47Having a residential treatment centre where thousands come every year
16:51seeking solutions to medical issues
16:54Presence of doctors with degrees in areas like neurology, ophthalmology and gynaecology
17:00and labs for formulations of medicines and therapeutic oils
17:04A modern Ayurveda centre encompasses this all
17:08According to A.D. Anu, the founder of Sanjeevanam
17:12Ayurvedic products for personal care like shampoos, soaps, oils and creams
17:17have also gained immense popularity
17:19The Ayurveda products market in India
17:24presently valued at 10.5 billion US dollars
17:28As per the records available through government of India's certain publications
17:34From these figures, I am sure 15 to 20% growth annually will take place
17:39So definitely it will reach more than 20 billion dollars in another 3 or 4 years' time
17:45He says growth could be even faster if Ayurvedic medicines receive wider regulatory acceptance outside India
17:52The country which is receiving the product has to give clearance
17:56Their licensing authority should have a system to study this product and issue the approval
18:02That is not available, that is lacking now
18:05There is no licensing authority in those countries to approve the medicines
18:09He says this is where the government can help
18:13Over the past decade the government has promoted Ayurveda at full throttle
18:17Calling it India's soft power
18:20It has set up a dedicated ministry
18:22And invested in research, educational institutions, infrastructure and international promotion
18:28Wellness tourism is another aspect where Ayurveda is leading the charge
18:32Emily Terrier is from France
18:34And her deep research looking for treatment for her endometriosis brought her here
18:40In the western medicine, basically, the vision is very limited
18:45And when I read about endometriosis, it's also what you eat, it's your day-to-day pattern
18:50It's a lot of things
18:51So when I read about Ayurveda, it seemed very interesting to me
18:56And maybe a solution to help me with my condition
19:00Because it was very hard to function on a day-to-day basis
19:03Aishwarya says such cases reflect a larger global shift towards more holistic and long-term approaches to health
19:10Also evident by the fact that now many countries in the west too have Ayurvedic wellness centers
19:17And also we are seeing a lot of awareness in the young generation particularly
19:22For a balanced life, a healthy pattern
19:25I think they are looking for balance and that journey is definitely taking them to Ayurveda along with yoga
19:31For her, this growing interest in Ayurveda reflects a broader change
19:36Where traditional practices are reaching wider audiences, bigger markets, and opening up to new economic possibilities
19:48This woman also seized her chance
19:53Erica Robin from Pakistan made the top 20 of a Miss Universe pageant
19:58It was a special moment for the country, where old traditions are still strong
20:05Patriarchy sets the tone
20:07Nonetheless, Erica Robin made it
20:10She sees her success as an inspiration for women worldwide to assert themselves
20:15On the rise of the new lockdown is being beaten through the laws
20:18The women who are still already being beaten through the laws
20:28People have contacted me Lama, the last important moment
20:30For many times people are still open
20:31I was in person
20:31I was 16 or 17
20:34The women who were still open
20:35I thought
20:35Because they were tall
20:36You know
20:36You look good
20:37You're very good
20:38You're very good
20:38You're very good
20:38You're new
20:38You're going to shoot your picture
20:44What motivated me? Actually, nothing. It was just something that I did in shock. As a profession,
20:52I had zero knowledge about it. So, my father was against it. Because, again, what do people
21:07say?
21:09So, it was just their safety concerns. It's not good. It's not good.
21:17I think minorities' acceptance here are a little less.
21:23Hi, this is Erica Robin from Karachi, Pakistan. And I'm your first ever Miss Universe Pakistan.
21:31Miss Universe's idea has never come to mind because I knew that it's not on Pakistan's list.
21:38But it was a 1994 or 1997 when Shishmita Sen was crowned.
21:45Because I liked it, I had seen it a lot.
21:49To become the first Miss Universe was never there. I think it was written in the destiny.
21:57And it was just a boom. I don't know where it came from. If I think about it, it still
22:03feels like a dream.
22:04Pakistan!
22:04Pakistan!
22:06Pakistan!
22:13Pakistan!
22:16Pakistan!
22:18Pakistan!
22:26Pakistan!
22:27Pakistan!
22:27Pakistan!
22:27Pakistan!
22:27Pakistan!
22:36Pakistan!
22:40Pakistan!
22:42Pakistan!
22:44Pakistan!
22:44Pakistan!
22:50One!
22:52There's no one that I couldn't understand.
22:54Also I think coming from the one-person minority, there didn't accept it.
22:58And people thought, okay, she's Christian, so she's not going to respect the Islamic culture.
23:08How would she represent us? How would she respect the culture?
23:11Because you know that there is a swimwear around too.
23:17I was getting a lot of backlash. And I myself,
23:22I wasn't so comfortable that I was wearing a bikini.
23:34Burkini is the first time I used to wear a bikini.
23:38So it's an alternative of a bikini, you can say.
23:45I asked them, is there going to be a swimwear around?
23:48So they said yes, but it's not necessary that you have to wear a bikini.
23:52If you're not comfortable, you can wear a bikini.
23:54And that's the time that I said yes, I want to do it.
24:12Last year, it was 200 applications.
24:15And this year, because now everyone knows that it's real, it's authentic.
24:21And from Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad,
24:24and everywhere, every person, every age group,
24:28applied this year.
24:31And I was really happy.
24:33That's okay, now it's accepted.
24:35And because I wanted a lot of minorities from my heart,
24:38I didn't want minorities.
24:40This is Pakistan!
24:43I'm glad that majority of the Pakistani girls applied.
24:49So I was really happy for it.
24:54With time, many things have changed.
24:56Now, if you look at any Miss Universe,
24:59or previous Miss Universe,
25:01they have a title with a purpose.
25:03It doesn't mean that if you're intelligent,
25:05if you're beautiful,
25:06or you know how to talk, how to walk,
25:08you will get the title.
25:17And I think that being the first Miss Universe in Pakistan has really made me feel the importance of being
25:24a true Pakistani.
25:30I'm very happy that I'm the first, but not the last.
25:34Also, I think that the opportunity that I have, it was a beautiful experience,
25:39one thing that I would cherish for the rest of my life.
25:47That's all for today from May.
25:50We've shown you the cost of disposing of decommissioned nuclear plants,
25:55how China's growth relies on exports rather than on the domestic economy,
25:59and how India is modernizing Ayurveda.
26:03Take care.
Comments