Making the Atom Work for the Environment

Making the Atom Work for the Environment

New IAEA Publication Explains How Nuclear Techniques Support Sustainable Development

A new IAEA publication aims to widen awareness of the unique contributions nuclear science and technology can make to the environmental dimension of sustainable development.

Story Resources

• The Atom, the Environment and Sustainable Development, September 2014
• Protecting Our Marine Environment, IAEA Bulletin, Vol. 54/3), September 2013
• Food and Agriculture, IAEA Annual Report 2013
• Joint FAO/IAEA Programme on Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture
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Environmental degradation is a major development challenge for many of the IAEA's Member States, affecting local, national, regional and global communities. Nuclear techniques can play an important role in addressing such challenges, contributing to sustainable development and environmental protection. A new IAEA publication, The Atom, the Environment and Sustainable Development, describes how nuclear-related technologies, such as isotopic analysis, can be used to monitor and understand environmental processes. Ultimately, such technologies advance innovative medical treatment methods, increase food security and help manage scarce natural resources.
Unravelling the Natural Environment's Complexity
To protect the environment, it is crucial to understand its complex relationships and determine how it functions as a system. How do pollutants move through the environment? What impact do they have on individual species and ecosystems? How do environmental pressures affect water cycles? The IAEA helps its Member States answer such questions with a variety of isotopic and nuclear techniques.
These methods can be used to monitor and manage river-groundwater interactions. They can help identify sources and flow paths of water pollutants. Isotopic techniques can also be used to examine how the acidity of the world's seas and oceans changes, to measure soil erosion and to evaluate how well soil conservation measures work.
Innovation to Protect People and the Environment
Nuclear technology is also key in creating innovative, environmentally friendly products and methods. Radiation can be used instead of toxic gases to sterilize medical devices. It has been instrumental in the development of new plastic-like materials free from chemical additives. Techniques involving radiation can effectively replace pesticides to keep insect pests under control, and replicate natural mutation processes that can lead to new variations of plant species more pest-resistant and hardier than their predecessors.
By describing such methods, The Atom, the Environment and Sustainable Development aims to widen awareness of their benefits and encourage their use. The publication highlights also how the Agency supports developing countries through technology transfer and capacity-building.

-- By Alexander Nitzsche, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication