"This IAEA Nuclear Security Series publication provides nuclear security fundamentals, recommendations, and supporting guidance for Member States to assist them in implementing new nuclear security regimes, or in reviewing and if necessary strengthening existing ones. The IAEA Nuclear Security Series also serves as guidance for Member States with respect to their activities in relation to binding and non-binding international instruments. The Nuclear Security Fundamentals are the primary publication in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series, and set out the objective of an effective national nuclear security regime and essential elements of such a regime. They are aimed at national policy makers, legislative bodies, competent authorities, institutions, and individuals involved in the establishment, implementation, maintenance or sustainability of a State's nuclear security regime."--Provided by publisher.

Nuclear security culture is an important component of an effective nuclear security regime, as it serves as a tool to improve the performance of the human component at nuclear facilities and organizations to counter both insider and outsider threats. Security culture connotes not only the technical proficiency of the people but also their awareness of security risks and motivation to follow established procedures, comply with regulations and take the initiative when unforeseen circumstances arise. A workforce made up of individuals who are vigilant, who question irregularities, execute their work diligently and exhibit high standards of personal and collective behaviour is able to achieve effective nuclear security. Building upon this understanding of the importance of a strong nuclear security culture, this publication provides practical guidance on how to implement a systematic nuclear security culture enhancement programme.

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was signed at Vienna and at New York on 3 March 1980. The Convention is the only international legally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material. It establishes measures related to the prevention, detection and punishment of offenses relating to nuclear material. A Diplomatic Conference in July 2005 was convened to amend the Convention and strengthen its provisions. The amended Convention makes it legally binding for States Parties to protect nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport. It also provides for expanded cooperation between and among States regarding rapid measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear material, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offences. The amendments will take effect once they have been ratified by two-thirds of the States Parties of the Convention.

China’s approach to nuclear deterrence has been broadly consistent since its first test in 1964, but it has recently accelerated nuclear force modernization. China’s strategic environment is likely to grow more complex, and nuclear constituencies are gaining a larger bureaucratic voice. Beijing is unlikely to change official nuclear policies but will probably increase emphasis on nuclear deterrence and may adjust the definition of key concepts.

"This publication provides recommendations to a State for the nuclear security of nuclear or other radioactive material that has been reported as being out of regulatory control, as well as for material that is lost, missing or stolen but has not been reported as such, or has been otherwise discovered. It includes recommendations for the detection and assessment of alarms and alerts and for a graded response to criminal or unauthorized acts with nuclear security implications involving nuclear or other radioactive material out of regulatory control. The recommended actions cover the confirmation of a credible threat, assessment and interdiction of an attempted act and response to a nuclear security event."--P. [4] of cover.

Each State has the primary responsibility to build the capacity of organizations and people in order to develop, implement, and sustain a nuclear security regime. To discharge its responsibilities, the State has to strengthen its capacity at national, organizational and individual levels. Specifically, the State has to be able to enhance the competences and capabilities of relevant stakeholders in fulfilling their responsibilities within the nuclear security regime. Such endeavour involves various elements in capacity building, ranging from education and training to the development of a knowledge network. This publication is intended to serve as a reference document for Member States to develop a national capacity building strategy for nuclear security. It addresses all organizations involved in nuclear security and reflects the multidisciplinary and cross-institutional nature of this task, as well as the long term efforts that are required. .

This publication provides detailed guidance with regard to the identification of vital areas at nuclear facilities. It presents a structured approach to identifying those areas that contain equipment, systems and components to be protected against sabotage. The process for selection of a specific set of vital areas to be protected is based on consideration of the potential radiological consequences of sabotage, and on the design, operational and safety features of a nuclear facility. The method builds upon safety analysis to develop logic models for sabotage scenarios that could cause unacceptable radiological consequences. The sabotage actions represented in the logic models are linked to the areas from which they can be accomplished. The logic models are then analysed to determine areas that should be protected to prevent these unacceptable radiological consequences. The publication is part of a set of supporting publications in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series with the aim of assisting States in the design, implementation and evaluation of their physical protection systems for nuclear material and nuclear facilities.