Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09UNVIEVIENNA391
2009-08-14 14:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
UNVIE
Cable title:
IAEA/NA: AGENCY HAS A ROLE IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUNV #0391/01 2261404 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141404Z AUG 09 FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9950 INFO RUEHII/VIENNA IAEA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0017 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0904 RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEANFA/NRC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000391
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/NESS, OES
NAIROBI FOR UNEP OFFICER
DOE FOR OIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC KNNP ENRG TRGY TPHY KGHG
SUBJECT: IAEA/NA: AGENCY HAS A ROLE IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
-------
Summary
-------
UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000391
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/NESS, OES
NAIROBI FOR UNEP OFFICER
DOE FOR OIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC KNNP ENRG TRGY TPHY KGHG
SUBJECT: IAEA/NA: AGENCY HAS A ROLE IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) Though most widely known to the general public as the nuclear
nonproliferation watchdog agency, the IAEA is having an increasing
impact on environmental policy. Most, if not all, of its activities
in this area are focused on marine and terrestrial environmental
issues, and are funneled through the IAEA's Monaco Environmental
Laboratories (MEL). MEL performs research in both radioactive and
non-radioactive marine contamination. Additionally, many technical
cooperation (TC) projects help Member States cope with adverse
environmental and health effects of climate change, mainly in
coastal areas. The Agency is considering hosting a side-event at
the 2009 General Conference (GC) that would introduce MEL's research
to a broader audience. The IAEA needs to do a better job at
showcasing its important, yet little known work in these areas.
--------------
Marine and Terrestrial
Environment
--------------
-
2. (U) The IAEA has two main laboratory facilities - one in
Seibersdorf, Austria, and another one in Monaco. The Monaco
Environmental Lab is tasked with implementing the agency's
activities in environmental and terrestrial environmental
protection, also known as Program H. These activities fall under
Major Program 2 (Nuclear Applications for Development) in the
Agency's budget and operational structure. MEL does work in three
broad areas, i.e. radioactive assessments, coastal pollution, and
non-radioactive contamination. These are done through one of MEL's
three sub-labs. The main goal of the program is to identify and
mitigate marine and terrestrial problems caused by both radioactive
and non-radioactive pollutants. The program is also part of the
UN's Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-Based Activities. Main activities of the
program include: radionuclides in oceans and seas, computer modeling
of the dispersion of radionuclides, and water and sediment dynamics
studies.
--------------
Radionuclides
--------------
3. (U) Marine radioactivity assessment in the coastal regions and
open seas is part of Program H managed through the Radiometrics
Laboratory (RML). RML has expertise in the fields of marine
radiochemistry, low-level radioactivity measurements, modeling of
radionuclide dispersion and transfer in the marine environment,
environmental and radiological assessment, radiotracer applications
in oceanographic, pollution and climate studies. RML collaborates
with Member States laboratories to carry out research and to
implement capacity building Technical Cooperation Projects. Recent
projects carried out by the RML include a series of nuclear and
isotopic studies of the El Nino phenomenon and a research on nuclear
and isotopic techniques for the characterization of submarine
groundwater discharge (SGD) in coastal zones.
--------------
Coastal Contamination
--------------
4. (U) Along with radioactivity assessments, the Agency also
develops and uses nuclear techniques to obtain information on the
processes involved in the transfer and transport of radionuclides,
conventional contaminants, toxic substances and other key elements
through the coastal marine ecosystems. The Agency recently has
focused on the development of a rapid, radiolabelled toxin assay to
mitigate the effect of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB's),whose poisons
can concentrate in shellfish with lethal affects in the human food
chain.
5. (U) NA believes that basic knowledge about the fate of marine
contaminants is critical to issues of human health and environmental
protection. Sound knowledge of radionuclide behavior and transfer
processes help Member States to make accurate assessments of the
impacts from local nuclear releases and from those contaminants
transported into territorial waters from distant sources. In
addition, the use of radiotracers to monitor the transport of
analogue stable elements and radiolabelled organic compounds offers
the ability to discern the behavior and fate of conventional
pollutants (e.g. heavy metals, PCB's and pesticides) and the fate of
greenhouse gases in the marine environment. As part of the
continuing education of Member States, NA worked with the TC
Department to establish a TC project on coastal zone management in
Africa. The project helped a number of African countries apply
isotope techniques in national phytoplankton monitoring programs.
The Agency, in collaboration with the International Oceanographic
Commission (IOC),also trains Member States in the use of the
receptor binding assay for toxin quantification and in the
identification of toxic algae.
--------------
Non-Radioactive
Pollution
--------------
6. (U) According to Agency research, marine pollution can limit
access to coastal resources and even pose a threat to public health.
Non-radioactive pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and
oil products, currently have a higher environmental impact than
radioactive contaminants. These originate from numerous land-based
sources, and trans-boundary issues arise due to the easy transport
of contaminants in marine waters. To combat this problem, the
Agency helps national laboratory networks obtain harmonized data
sets on diverse temporal and spatial scales. It also undertakes
research, including the development of isotopic techniques for
tracer studies. The Monaco Laboratory is the only UN-family
component with operational capabilities in environmental analytical
chemistry and pollution assessment of nonradioactive marine
contaminants.
--------------
ALMERA
--------------
7. (U) To support the research and development at MEL, the Agency
established a worldwide network of laboratories for environmental
radionuclide monitoring, called the ALMERA network. Last year, 11
new laboratories joined, bringing the total number of members to 117
labs in 72 Member States. Through ALMERA, the Agency has organized
regular proficiency tests to help network members improve their
analytical performance. Comparisons of results obtained in 2006 and
2007 show significant improvement in the accuracy of results
obtained for lead-210 and cadmium-107.
--------------
Partnerships
--------------
8. (U) The Agency collaborates with several regional and
international organizations in implementing its climate change
activities. The IAEA provides advice and assistance on marine
radioactivity to Member States and intergovernmental bodies, such as
the Oslo-Paris Commission for Protection of the Marine Environment
of the North-Eastern Atlantic (OSPAR),the Helsinki Commission, the
Barcelona Convention, and the Joint Group of Experts on the
Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP).
Regionally, it has undertaken joint activities with Member States in
the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Black Sea and Caspian
Sea. At the national level, it works directly with laboratories in
Member States and provides expertise implementing international
conventions, such as the UNEP ban on the use of persistent organic
pollutants (POPs) and the IMO convention prohibiting organotin
compounds as marine antifoulants. The Agency also provides advice
on radioactive contamination in the terrestrial environment to
regional and international bodies such as WHO, UNEP, UNDP, IUR and
the affected Member States.
--------------
Comment
--------------
9. (U) For the September 14-18 General Conference, the IAEA is
considering hosting a side-event to showcase its work in marine and
terrestrial environmental protection. This will provide a rare
occasion for the wider public to learn about the Agency's important
contributions in climate change issues. In general, however, the
Agency has not capitalized on all the communication resources and
fora available to increase public awareness of its activities. As
a result, this aspect of the Agency's work remains mostly unknown in
comparison to its role in safeguards and nonproliferation. Because
of the increasing attention Member States pay to the Agency, as well
as the unparalleled technical expertise of the organization, the
IAEA is uniquely positioned to become a leader in certain technical
aspects of climate change. With more adequate staffing at MEL and
a more effective public relations presence, the IAEA could better
demonstrate the various ways in which nuclear techniques can protect
the environment.
PYATT
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/NESS, OES
NAIROBI FOR UNEP OFFICER
DOE FOR OIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC KNNP ENRG TRGY TPHY KGHG
SUBJECT: IAEA/NA: AGENCY HAS A ROLE IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) Though most widely known to the general public as the nuclear
nonproliferation watchdog agency, the IAEA is having an increasing
impact on environmental policy. Most, if not all, of its activities
in this area are focused on marine and terrestrial environmental
issues, and are funneled through the IAEA's Monaco Environmental
Laboratories (MEL). MEL performs research in both radioactive and
non-radioactive marine contamination. Additionally, many technical
cooperation (TC) projects help Member States cope with adverse
environmental and health effects of climate change, mainly in
coastal areas. The Agency is considering hosting a side-event at
the 2009 General Conference (GC) that would introduce MEL's research
to a broader audience. The IAEA needs to do a better job at
showcasing its important, yet little known work in these areas.
--------------
Marine and Terrestrial
Environment
--------------
-
2. (U) The IAEA has two main laboratory facilities - one in
Seibersdorf, Austria, and another one in Monaco. The Monaco
Environmental Lab is tasked with implementing the agency's
activities in environmental and terrestrial environmental
protection, also known as Program H. These activities fall under
Major Program 2 (Nuclear Applications for Development) in the
Agency's budget and operational structure. MEL does work in three
broad areas, i.e. radioactive assessments, coastal pollution, and
non-radioactive contamination. These are done through one of MEL's
three sub-labs. The main goal of the program is to identify and
mitigate marine and terrestrial problems caused by both radioactive
and non-radioactive pollutants. The program is also part of the
UN's Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-Based Activities. Main activities of the
program include: radionuclides in oceans and seas, computer modeling
of the dispersion of radionuclides, and water and sediment dynamics
studies.
--------------
Radionuclides
--------------
3. (U) Marine radioactivity assessment in the coastal regions and
open seas is part of Program H managed through the Radiometrics
Laboratory (RML). RML has expertise in the fields of marine
radiochemistry, low-level radioactivity measurements, modeling of
radionuclide dispersion and transfer in the marine environment,
environmental and radiological assessment, radiotracer applications
in oceanographic, pollution and climate studies. RML collaborates
with Member States laboratories to carry out research and to
implement capacity building Technical Cooperation Projects. Recent
projects carried out by the RML include a series of nuclear and
isotopic studies of the El Nino phenomenon and a research on nuclear
and isotopic techniques for the characterization of submarine
groundwater discharge (SGD) in coastal zones.
--------------
Coastal Contamination
--------------
4. (U) Along with radioactivity assessments, the Agency also
develops and uses nuclear techniques to obtain information on the
processes involved in the transfer and transport of radionuclides,
conventional contaminants, toxic substances and other key elements
through the coastal marine ecosystems. The Agency recently has
focused on the development of a rapid, radiolabelled toxin assay to
mitigate the effect of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB's),whose poisons
can concentrate in shellfish with lethal affects in the human food
chain.
5. (U) NA believes that basic knowledge about the fate of marine
contaminants is critical to issues of human health and environmental
protection. Sound knowledge of radionuclide behavior and transfer
processes help Member States to make accurate assessments of the
impacts from local nuclear releases and from those contaminants
transported into territorial waters from distant sources. In
addition, the use of radiotracers to monitor the transport of
analogue stable elements and radiolabelled organic compounds offers
the ability to discern the behavior and fate of conventional
pollutants (e.g. heavy metals, PCB's and pesticides) and the fate of
greenhouse gases in the marine environment. As part of the
continuing education of Member States, NA worked with the TC
Department to establish a TC project on coastal zone management in
Africa. The project helped a number of African countries apply
isotope techniques in national phytoplankton monitoring programs.
The Agency, in collaboration with the International Oceanographic
Commission (IOC),also trains Member States in the use of the
receptor binding assay for toxin quantification and in the
identification of toxic algae.
--------------
Non-Radioactive
Pollution
--------------
6. (U) According to Agency research, marine pollution can limit
access to coastal resources and even pose a threat to public health.
Non-radioactive pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and
oil products, currently have a higher environmental impact than
radioactive contaminants. These originate from numerous land-based
sources, and trans-boundary issues arise due to the easy transport
of contaminants in marine waters. To combat this problem, the
Agency helps national laboratory networks obtain harmonized data
sets on diverse temporal and spatial scales. It also undertakes
research, including the development of isotopic techniques for
tracer studies. The Monaco Laboratory is the only UN-family
component with operational capabilities in environmental analytical
chemistry and pollution assessment of nonradioactive marine
contaminants.
--------------
ALMERA
--------------
7. (U) To support the research and development at MEL, the Agency
established a worldwide network of laboratories for environmental
radionuclide monitoring, called the ALMERA network. Last year, 11
new laboratories joined, bringing the total number of members to 117
labs in 72 Member States. Through ALMERA, the Agency has organized
regular proficiency tests to help network members improve their
analytical performance. Comparisons of results obtained in 2006 and
2007 show significant improvement in the accuracy of results
obtained for lead-210 and cadmium-107.
--------------
Partnerships
--------------
8. (U) The Agency collaborates with several regional and
international organizations in implementing its climate change
activities. The IAEA provides advice and assistance on marine
radioactivity to Member States and intergovernmental bodies, such as
the Oslo-Paris Commission for Protection of the Marine Environment
of the North-Eastern Atlantic (OSPAR),the Helsinki Commission, the
Barcelona Convention, and the Joint Group of Experts on the
Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP).
Regionally, it has undertaken joint activities with Member States in
the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Black Sea and Caspian
Sea. At the national level, it works directly with laboratories in
Member States and provides expertise implementing international
conventions, such as the UNEP ban on the use of persistent organic
pollutants (POPs) and the IMO convention prohibiting organotin
compounds as marine antifoulants. The Agency also provides advice
on radioactive contamination in the terrestrial environment to
regional and international bodies such as WHO, UNEP, UNDP, IUR and
the affected Member States.
--------------
Comment
--------------
9. (U) For the September 14-18 General Conference, the IAEA is
considering hosting a side-event to showcase its work in marine and
terrestrial environmental protection. This will provide a rare
occasion for the wider public to learn about the Agency's important
contributions in climate change issues. In general, however, the
Agency has not capitalized on all the communication resources and
fora available to increase public awareness of its activities. As
a result, this aspect of the Agency's work remains mostly unknown in
comparison to its role in safeguards and nonproliferation. Because
of the increasing attention Member States pay to the Agency, as well
as the unparalleled technical expertise of the organization, the
IAEA is uniquely positioned to become a leader in certain technical
aspects of climate change. With more adequate staffing at MEL and
a more effective public relations presence, the IAEA could better
demonstrate the various ways in which nuclear techniques can protect
the environment.
PYATT