I am pleased to open and indeed inaugurate this Scientific Forum which, it is to be hoped, will be held annually in conjunction with the General Conference.
The International Atomic Energy Agency was created 41 years ago to be the focal point for global co-operation for the use of nuclear energy for peace and development. The core functions of the Agency - in nuclear safety, safeguards and technology transfer - are well known to you. In carrying out these functions we strive to be an objective institution that, among other responsibilities, serves as a centre of excellence for scientific information sharing and standard setting, independent analysis, expert advice and the transfer of appropriate technology.
The idea for this Forum grew out of the process of review and reform which was initiated this year to ensure that the Agency is focused on the needs and priorities of its Member States and is using the most efficient and effective means of programme delivery. One conclusion from this review was that much more could be achieved by our annual General Conference if a way were found to take full advantage of the presence and expertise of members of delegations with scientific and technical background.
The Scientific Forum, organized around one central theme relating to nuclear technology and its peaceful uses, is intended to address major issues of a scientific and technical nature that also have a direct influence on the Agency's programme of activities. It is my hope that this Scientific Forum will be of valuable and mutual benefit to the participants and the Agency. It provides an opportunity for the Secretariat to inform participants of scientific and technical developments relevant to ongoing and possible future Agency activities and to hear their views on such developments of relevance to Agency activities. In this sense, the Forum is about information sharing and exchange of views leading to an Agency programme that better reflects the priorities of Member States and meets their requirements.
The theme of this Forum is "Nuclear Technology in Relation to Water Resources and the Aquatic Environment." In this International Year of the Oceans, it is fitting that the theme of the Forum this year deals with issues such as the role of nuclear science and technology in the preservation of the marine environment from man-made sources of pollution. But this is only one part of the larger challenge of meeting global concerns related to water. Concerns over freshwater scarcity, degradation of quality, marine pollution and the role of the oceans in possible climate change, have rightfully taken their place as some of the most urgent and important issues on the international agenda. The world's thirst for water is likely to become one of the most pressing resource issues of the 21st century.
Nuclear science and technology play a significant role in a wide spectrum of activities directly related to water resources and the aquatic environment. Isotope hydrology is an integral technique in scientific investigation of water resources. Through its nuclear applications and technical cooperation programmes, the IAEA is assisting in further scientific development of this technique and in its application in various countries.
Some eighty percent of marine pollution originates from human activities on land. Monitoring and assessing the impact of this and other pollution such as oil discharges from ships and artificial radionuclides from nuclear weapons testing and dumping of radioactive wastes, is one of the responsibilities of the IAEA, particularly the Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco. This October, in co-operation with the Principality of Monaco and several international organizations (UNEP, UNESCO and the International Commission for Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea - ICSEM) the Agency is organizing a major Symposium on Marine Pollution to take place in conjunction with the opening of the new MEL laboratory.
The issues of safe transport and storage of radioactive materials have been a major subject of public debate in recent times. The Agency plays a major role in developing binding and non-binding safety standards, and assisting with the application of those standards, for the safe transport, including over water, of radioactive and nuclear materials. In the context of the increasing accumulation of spent fuel and radioactive wastes and the forthcoming decommissioning of nuclear powered submarines and ships, it is clear that much more attention and action is required to meet public concerns on these issues.
Finally, I would refer to the potential contribution of nuclear technology to the problem of scarcity of freshwater resources in many parts of the world. The use of nuclear energy for desalination purposes has become an option to be considered as an alternative source of freshwater supply. New generation small and medium sized reactors are of particular interest for such non-electrical applications. Last year the Agency established the International Nuclear Desalination Advisory Group to advise on further activities in this area as part of an integrated strategy of Agency activities in the field of nuclear energy development.
The matters you will be addressing over the coming days are serious and urgent. Within the United Nations system, several mechanisms have been set up to address these and other issues. The Administrative Committee on Co-ordination and its subsidiary committees on 'Water Resources" and 'Oceans and Coastal Areas" are the primary inter-agency bodies through which the IAEA co-ordinates its activities in this area. The Agency is also contributing to the International Panel on Climate Change Third Assessment Report and to the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development. There are thus many avenues for the Agency to take forward the views and recommendations that emerge from this Scientific Forum.
I look forward to a productive discussion and I wish you success.