From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972

This article explores the efforts of Germany and Switzerland, from 1965 to 1972, to mitigate thermal pollution caused by nuclear power plants along the Aare and Rhine Rivers. Despite the initial promise of nuclear energy, concerns about its environmental impact, specifically on water quality, led...

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Main Author: Alicia Gutting
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Water Alternatives Association 2025-02-01
Series:Water Alternatives
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol18/v18issue1/771-a18-1-5/file
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author Alicia Gutting
author_facet Alicia Gutting
author_sort Alicia Gutting
collection DOAJ
description This article explores the efforts of Germany and Switzerland, from 1965 to 1972, to mitigate thermal pollution caused by nuclear power plants along the Aare and Rhine Rivers. Despite the initial promise of nuclear energy, concerns about its environmental impact, specifically on water quality, led both countries to collaboratively set temperature limits for cooling water discharge from nuclear power plants. In contrast to the predominant focus on anti-nuclear protests in the existing literature, this article highlights the cooperative aspects of cross-border management, revealing a concerted effort to balance the utilisation of river cooling capacities while safeguarding water quality. The article contributes to the evolving field of water diplomacy, challenging the notion of inevitable conflicts by showcasing a joint approach to addressing shared environmental challenges.
format Article
id doaj-art-2b08ae68ec21401185dd252d56535a52
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issn 1965-0175
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publishDate 2025-02-01
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spelling doaj-art-2b08ae68ec21401185dd252d56535a522025-08-20T03:16:26ZengWater Alternatives AssociationWater Alternatives1965-01752025-02-011815985From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972Alicia Gutting0KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SwedenThis article explores the efforts of Germany and Switzerland, from 1965 to 1972, to mitigate thermal pollution caused by nuclear power plants along the Aare and Rhine Rivers. Despite the initial promise of nuclear energy, concerns about its environmental impact, specifically on water quality, led both countries to collaboratively set temperature limits for cooling water discharge from nuclear power plants. In contrast to the predominant focus on anti-nuclear protests in the existing literature, this article highlights the cooperative aspects of cross-border management, revealing a concerted effort to balance the utilisation of river cooling capacities while safeguarding water quality. The article contributes to the evolving field of water diplomacy, challenging the notion of inevitable conflicts by showcasing a joint approach to addressing shared environmental challenges.https://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol18/v18issue1/771-a18-1-5/filenuclear energyrhine riverthermal pollutionwater diplomacycooling water
spellingShingle Alicia Gutting
From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
Water Alternatives
nuclear energy
rhine river
thermal pollution
water diplomacy
cooling water
title From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
title_full From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
title_fullStr From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
title_full_unstemmed From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
title_short From cooling water war to cooling towers: Transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the Aare and Rhine Rivers, 1965-1972
title_sort from cooling water war to cooling towers transnational water diplomacy for the allocation of nuclear cooling on the aare and rhine rivers 1965 1972
topic nuclear energy
rhine river
thermal pollution
water diplomacy
cooling water
url https://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol18/v18issue1/771-a18-1-5/file
work_keys_str_mv AT aliciagutting fromcoolingwaterwartocoolingtowerstransnationalwaterdiplomacyfortheallocationofnuclearcoolingontheaareandrhinerivers19651972