Amano focuses IAEA on development

The International Atomic Energy Agency is working to expand its role in international development, separate from its well known areas of nuclear energy safety, security and non-proliferation. Nuclear should be given "appropriate consideration" at upcoming climate talks said director general Yukiya Amano.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is working to expand its role in international development, separate from its well known areas of nuclear energy safety, security and non-proliferation. Nuclear should be given "appropriate consideration" at upcoming climate talks said director general Yukiya Amano.

Amano addresses the 2015 General Conference (Image: IAEA)

In his opening comments to the organisation's General Conference in Vienna today, Amano highlighted its active participation in the process to develop 17 global Sustainable Development Goals. They will be announced at a United Nations Summit in New York next week.

"There are clear links between the new goals and the work of the agency," said Amano, highlighting "Energy, food security, nutrition, human health, environmental protection and management of water resources."

"It is very much welcome that here is explicit recognition in new development goals of the importance of science and technology in advancing development. I have stressed the importance of science and technology for development since becoming director general and will continue to do so. The agency has so much to offer in this area that I often summarise our work as Atoms For Peace and Development."

Amano's version of the phrase expands on US President Dwight Eisenhower's 'Atoms For Peace', which was coined when he proposed the agency to the UN General Assembly in 1953. Amano has been regularly using his version in what is seen as a campaign to give the IAEA a higher profile and a larger role in development, apart from its famous areas of expertise, nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security.

Examples of the IAEA's work to support humanitarian goals include assisting Nepal in its recovery from an earthquake in April. "The agency has been helping authorities to test the safety of critical buildings like hospitals and schools," Amano told delegates, "using non-destructive testing methods like radiography." Nepal was also helped by shipments of long-lasting irradiated food supplies from Indonesia, which were irradiated to extend their shelf life by the National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia, BATAN, which developed this capability with the help of a joint project by the IAEA and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

In west Africa this year the IAEA provided equipment and diagnostic kits for rapid identification of the Ebola virus and has since worked with countries to strengthen their capability to respond to future outbreaks of Ebola and other diseases that can be transferred from animals to humans.

On the wider goal of environmental protection and mitigation of climate change Amano said, "Nuclear power has low environmental impact and leads to significant avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions. I believe that appropriate consideration should be given to nuclear power in talks on climate change mitigation."

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News