For information only - not an official document
UNIS/OUS/309
22 October 2015
Note to correspondents
VIENNA, 22 October (UN Information Service) - In an effort to keep abreast of new scientific information that has emerged since its 2013 Report on the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, UNSCEAR has published a White Paper to guide the Committee's future programme of work.
Titled "Developments since the 2013 UNSCEAR Report on the Levels and Effects of Radiation Exposure due to the Nuclear Accident Following the Great East-Japan Earthquake and Tsunami", it is available for download in both English and Japanese. The White Paper is part of the Committee's ongoing effort to systematically monitor and evaluate new information.
The main focus of the 2013 Report on the Fukushima-Daiichi accident was on the exposure to radiation of various groups of the population, and the effects in terms of radiation-induced risks for human health and the environment. The population groups considered include residents of the Fukushima Prefecture and other prefectures in Japan; and workers, contractors and others who were engaged in the emergency work at or around the accident site. The environmental assessment addresses marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Eighteen United Nations Member States provided more than 80 experts to conduct the analytical work cost-free.
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The mandate of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), established in 1955, is to undertake broad reviews of the sources of ionizing radiation and the effects on human health and the environment. Its assessments provide a scientific foundation for United Nations agencies and governments to formulate standards and programmes for protection against ionizing radiation. It does not deal with or assess nuclear safety or emergency planning issues. The secretariat in Vienna, which is functionally linked to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organizes the annual sessions and manages the preparation of documents for the Committee's scrutiny.
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For further information, contact:
Jaya
Mohan
Information Officer, UNSCEAR
Email: jaya.mohan[at]unscear.org
