Report of the 62 nd session of the Scientific Committee Yoshiharu - - PDF document

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 1

United Nations Scientific Committee

• n the Effects of Atomic Radiation

Yoshiharu Yonekura (JAPAN), Chair, UNSCEAR

Briefing of Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly 23 October 2015

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee Content

• Mandate and scope
• Highlights from the 62nd session
• Present programme of work
• Future programme of work
• Concluding remarks

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 2

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 2

Mandate

• Scientific Committee of UN General Assembly
• Assess levels, effects & risks of ionizing radiation

– identify emerging issues – evaluate levels and effects – improve knowledge for General Assembly, scientific community & public

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Radiation exposure – global average

Natural Artificial

• Cosmic
• Terrestrial
• Radon
• External
• Food & drink
• Medicine
• Nuclear power
• Industry
• Military

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2.4 mSv annually 0.6 mSv annually

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

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Effects of exposure

• Acute radiation

syndrome

• Local injuries
• Acute radiation

syndrome

• Local injuries

Cancer Cancer Heritable effects Heritable effects Other

• Fetal effects
• Cataracts
• Cardiovascular

Other

• Fetal effects
• Cataracts
• Cardiovascular

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Mortality/ morbidity Plants Animals Reproduction Population Individual

Human health Environment

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Science underpins protection

ILO convention 115:

• ccupational

radiation protection FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (food contamination guides) UN transport regulations for radioactive material

implemented by Member States

IAEA, WHO, ILO, FAO etc.

• Safety standards
• Protection programmes

UNSCEAR

Scientific basis

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

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United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 7

UNSCEAR‘s 62nd session, June 2015

More than 120 scientists Representatives from 27 States

Management decisions

• Long-term strategic directions beyond 2019 to help

inform future deliberations of the Assembly on the Committee’s membership

• Governing Principles
• Change in internal processes being implemented
• Bureau established and functioning
• Officers (Chair, Vice-chairs, Rapporteur) elected for

the sixty-second session

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

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Follow-up to 2013 Fukushima Report

• Entire 2013 Report published in Japanese
• Follow-up action to Report ongoing - mechanism to

closely follow and review scientific literature

• So far, none of the Report’s major assumptions

challenged; main findings unaffected

• White paper annually on implications for work
• “White Paper” reviewing literature up till end of 2014

published in English and Japanese

• Outreach efforts continued with two events in Japan

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Present programme of work

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Methodology for estimating exposures from discharges into environment

Mature finalize for 2016

Radiation exposures from electricity generation

Mature finalize for 2016

Biological effects from selected internal emitters

• Tritium
• Uranium

Mature finalize for 2016

Cancer epidemiology of exposures at low dose-rates in the environment

Progressing

Collection of data on radiation exposures for an evaluation of medical exposures

Progressing

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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UNSCEAR’s Global Survey

• n Medical Exposure
• UNSCEAR’s online platform (survey.unscear.org)
• For data submission
• National Contact Persons (NCP) for UNSCEAR
• Coordinate data collection and online data submission at country level

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Future programme of work

• Prioritize work, conditional on completion of projects in

current programme of work

1. Health effects of low-dose radiation exposure 2. Selected evaluations of health effects and inferred risk from radiation exposure 3. Evaluation of risk of second cancers after radiotherapy 4. Assessment of impact on biota of radiation exposure due to the nuclear industry

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 12

Report of the 62nd session of the Scientific Committee - Chair's report

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23 October 2015

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 7

Outreach outlook

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• Committee marks 60th anniversary in 2016
• UNEP booklet for the public: “Radiation:

doses, effects, risks” to be launched

Concluding remarks

• Fundamental to international radiation safety framework
• Work affects decisions on energy debate, waste management,

medical use of radiation, protection of public, workers and environment

• More cost-effective to develop global consensus through sharing

knowledge than national or regional initiatives

• Highly respected by Governments, other international organizations

and scientific community

• Independence, scientific objectivity, competence and quality are

essential

• Fukushima-Daiichi assessment was both opportunity and

challenge – reforming work processes to learn lessons

• Resources be sufficient, assured and predictable

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