Vienna - AnIAEA International Experts' Meeting (IEM) on
Radiation Protection after the Fukushima Daiichi Accident- Promoting Confidence and Understanding, began today in Vienna.
During the week-long meeting, experts on radiation
protection will discuss such topics such as the management of radiation
exposures, potential health effects from the March 2011 accident at
TEPCO’ Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, land management and
public communication. Lessons from past accidents will also be reviewed.
The meeting will focus on the following areas:
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Key radiation protection issues to be addressed by the international community;
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Long-term strategies in response to nuclear or radiological accidents;
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Assistance for IAEA Member States in reviewing and
updating their radiation protection programmes as appropriate; and
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Support for the IAEA's work in the area of radiation protection.
Organisers made a concerted effort to attract young
professionals to the meeting as plans that are developed today will be
implemented by future generations. Almost 40 of the about 250
participants are young scientists. Participants represent 75 IAEA Member
States and 12 international organisations.
The meeting is closed to the media. A formal report will be
published after meeting; presentations delivered at the IEM will also
be made available on the IAEA website.
The meeting is part of a series of expert meetings held in connection with the implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety,
which defines a programme of work to strengthen the nuclear safety
framework worldwide in light of the March 2011 accident at TEPCO’s
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The Plan was endorsed by the
IAEA's General Conference in September 2011. One of the Plan's 12 main
actions is "Protection of people and the environment from ionizing
radiation."
Press Conference
Denis Flory, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the
Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, and meeting chair Sigurdur
Magnusson, Director of Iceland’s Radiation Safety Authority, will hold a
news conference after the closing of the meeting, at about
12:30 on Friday, 21 February, in Boardroom A of the Vienna International Centre’s M-Building. The news conference will be streamed live online and available for downloading afterwards. Please note that this is a view-only channel.
