April 2021
UNSCEAR Newsletter #2 |Newsletter #2

Evaluating Science for Informed Decision Making
Mandate and vision
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of AtomicRadiation (UNSCEAR) was established by the General Assembly on
3 December 1955 to undertake broad assessments of the sourcesof exposure to ionizing radiation and the effects on human healthand the environment.
The Committee collects and analyses the latest scientific information,and reports on the scientific basis that underpins radiation protection
at national and international levels. The vision is to maintain andenhance credible, independent and up-to-date evaluations andremain an authoritative United Nations source of information forpolicymakers, regulators, licensees, the research community andother stakeholders worldwide.

Continuing progress amid COVID-19 pandemic challenges
Despite the extraordinary circumstances
created by the COVID-19 pandemic,
the Committee upheld its commitment
to its programme of work and achieved
significant milestones since the sixtysixth session in 2019. In particular,
it held its first online session (sixtyseventh session); approved three new
evaluations and its Future Programmeof Work for the period 2020–2024 andpublished two evaluations on lungcancer due to radon exposure andselected health effects and inference ofrisk due to exposure.
The Chair, Ms. Gillian Hirth (Australia),
expressed her gratitude to the delegations,the UNSCEAR Bureau, which held fifteen(mainly online) meetings in the past year, andthe secretariat for continuing to uphold its
high standards of scientific excellence andprofessional commitment. Ms. Borislava
Batandjieva-Metcalf, UNSCEAR Secretary,
appreciated the hard and dedicated workof the experts despite the challenges,
which was essential for the successful
deliberations of the Committee at its sixtyseventh session. The Committee also
thanked the Rapporteur of the previous
sixty-sixth session, Mr. Ingemar Lund(Sweden) and welcomed the newly elected
Rapporteur, Mr. Anssi Auvinen (Finland).

Message from the Rapporteur

UNSCEAR Bureau. Top-left to right:
Ms. A. Friedl (Germany), Ms. J.-K. Lee(Republic of Korea), Ms. J. Chen (Canada);bottom-left to right: Ms. G. Hirth (Australia),
Mr. A. Auvinen (Finland), Mr. H. Vanmarcke(Belgium); Small photos bottom right corner:
Ms. B. Batandjieva-Metcalf andMr. F. Shannoun (UNSCEAR secretariat)

An honour and privilege to serve the Committee

Mr. A. Auvinen –newly elected Rapporteur

It is an honour and privilege to be elected as
Rapporteur for the sixty-seventh session.
I have been involved with UNSCEAR fornearly a decade and gained experience
both at the Committee and various expert
groups. This has allowed me to recognize
the scope and importance of the work of theCommittee. This task involves considerable
effort and responsibility, but it clearly deservesa high priority, owing to its global impact.
The extensive effort of large numbers of1

members in expert groups over several years
is amalgamated in the UNSCEAR reports,
and these are finalized and approved atthe Committee sessions. Inability to follow
the usual procedures due to the COVID-19
pandemic and the dire economic situation ofUNSCEAR has made the functioning of theCommittee even more challenging than before.
Being able to contribute to the work of theCommittee is a worthy goal and as Rapporteur,I am doing my best to facilitate it.

2UNSCEAR 2019 Report published online
The UNSCEAR 2019 Report containing
two scientific annexes were published
online in December 2020 (link). Annex A(Evaluation of selected health effects
and inference of risk due to radiationexposure) provides an evaluation of
selected health effects and inference ofrisk due to radiation exposure describing
five scenarios for risk evaluation. Annex B(Lung cancer from exposure to radon)
evaluates lung cancer from exposure toradon and provides information to assess
recent developments in risk estimates oflung cancer and radon exposure.

Highlights from the sixty-seventh session(2–6 November 2020)
It was an unusual, yet fruitful sixty-seventh session in 2020. Insteadof delegates going from one discussion to another, and meetingcolleagues, the session took place online. The secretariat is proud
to note, that even though the session could not be held in Vienna
as usual due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the sixty-seventh session
took place online and was well attended by over 210 participantsfrom 27 States members of the Committee, four observer countries
and 11 international observer organizations. The session facilitatedfruitful discussions among the Committee and experts aroundthe world and concluded successfully despite the unprecedented
situation and the related challenges.
The Committee deliberated and approved three scientific reports
during the session:- Evaluation of medical exposure to ionizing radiation;- Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the accident
at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: implicationsof information published since the 2013 UNSCEAR Report;

The Future Programme of Work for the period 2020–2024 wasadopted, and it is envisaged that the Committee will review andapprove a report on the evaluation of occupational exposure andlaunch a new study on diseases of the circulatory system fromradiation exposure in 2021.
In the last year, the Committee launched three new projects:- Second primary cancer after radiation therapy;- Epidemiological studies of radiation and cancer;- Public exposure due to ionizing radiation.
The work of the Committee’s two ad hoc working groups on(i) effects and mechanisms and (ii) sources and exposurescontinued focusing on the improvement of data collection andpreparing the launch of the new UNSCEAR Global Survey on
Public exposure.
A press release summarizing the proceedings is available online.

- Biological mechanisms relevant for the inference of cancer
risks from low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation.

Report of the Chair to the seventy-fifth United Nations General Assembly
In a departure from the norm imposed by theCOVID-19 travel restrictions, most United
Nations activities moved online. The Chair,Ms. Gillian Hirth (Australia) submitted a report on
the intersessional activities by means of a note
(A/75/46) and an oral report during the virtual
meeting of the Fourth Committee of the United
Nations General Assembly on 9 October 2020.
On that basis, the United Nations adopted aresolution on the effects of atomic radiation on
10 December 2020 (A/RES/75/91).
During the Business meeting, which washeld in July 2020 prior to the report to
the General Assembly, the UNSCEAR
Secretary highlighted that the General
Assembly welcomed the Committee’sscientific evaluations, data collections onmedical, occupational and public exposures,cooperation with international organizations,and implementation of the outreach strategy
for the period 2020–2024. For the latter inparticular, the enhancement of the websiteof the Committee and the publication ofinformation for the general public in all theofficial languages of the United Nations wasdefined as a priority. Importantly, the General
Assembly encouraged Member Statesin a position to do so to make voluntary
contributions to the UNSCEAR General
Trust Fund established by the Executive
Director of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and also to make in-kind
contributions, in order to support the work ofthe Committee, and the dissemination of its
findings, in a sustainable manner.

Ms. G. Hirth, Chair,at the seventy-fifth United Nations
General Assembly

The press release of the Chair’s note can beaccessed here.

2021 session to mark the sixty-fifth anniversary of UNSCEAR
The next sixty-eighth session will be held online from 21–25 June 2021. This year is also alandmark year for UNSCEAR as it celebrates its sixty-fifth anniversary in 2021.

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The sixty-seventh Report to theGeneral Assembly (A/76/46 Part 1)
is available online and can beaccessed here

UNSCEAR News 1 •December 20193

Launch of the UNSCEAR 2020 Fukushima Report on 9 March 2021

The Chair and lead writerspresented some of the key
findings of the report to over180 attendees, in the areas ofhealth effects and exposure,and answered questions froma number of scientists anddiplomats.

In his message to mark the tenthanniversary of the great-east
Japan earthquake and tsunami,
United Nations Secretary-General
Mr. António Guterres welcomed
the “reassuring findings of theScientific Committee”.

UNSCEAR Newsletter #2 |TheUNSCEAR
secretariat
presented an advance copy ofits UNSCEAR 2020 Report titled“Levels and effects of radiation
exposure due to the accident at
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station: implications ofinformation published since theUNSCEAR 2013 Report” to awell-attended event on 9 March,held online.

April 2021

UNSCEAR outreach activities

This year, the report was thefocus of the regular UNSCEAR
presentationtoPermanent
Missions which aims to engage
with the diplomatic communityand share information on theCommittee’s programme ofwork and reports.
The report was widely covered United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres sent ain leading media worldwide and video message on the 10-year mark of the Great East Japan
is available on the UNSCEAR Earthquake and Tsunami
website.

UNSCEAR contributes to the International Conference on Radiation Safety at theside events on “Young Professional Development Paths” and “UNSCEAR’s Global
Survey on Public Exposure”

Ms. B. Batandjieva-Metcalf, UNSCEAR Secretary andMr. R. Grossi, Director General, IAEA at the IAEA event“Young Professional Development Paths”

Even with the limitations on travel and gatherings, outreach activities
to disseminate scientific evidence to the scientific community andthe public continued. Notably, the UNSCEAR secretariat successfully
held an online side event on the Public Exposure Survey at theInternational Conference on Radiation Safety, attended by over 200
participants around the world. Click here for further information.
Ms. Borislava Batandjieva-Metcalf, Secretary of UNSCEAR, alsojoined a panel with Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General,
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the IAEA side event
on Young Professional Development Paths. The recordings can beaccessed here.

UNSCEAR’s Global Survey on Radiation Exposure
at the 15th International Congress of theInternational Radiation Protection Association
The UNSCEAR secretariat in collaboration
with the International Radiation Protection
Association (IRPA) organized an eventon the UNSCEAR Global Survey onRadiation Exposure. The event was held
online during the IRPA 15th InternationalCongress, Seoul on 22 January 2021.
During the event, the Korean version ofthe UNEP Booklet Radiation: Effects andSources was launched.

Cover UNEP Radiation
Booklet (Korean)

From left to right: Ms. B. Batandjieva-Metcalf,
Ms. J. Chen, Ms. J.-K. Lee, Mr. CW. Cho, Ms. J. Brown,
Mr. S. Niu, Ms. M. Perez and Mr. F. Shannoun

Involvement of young experts in UNSCEAR’s work
The UNSCEAR secretariat is working with young scientists worldwide through six month internships, the UN Volunteer
Programme and in-kind contributions from Member States. Next intern applications will open in May 2021.

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Flash forward
The 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident: existing and future research ofradiological and medical consequences

14–15 April 2021, Ukraine

Sixty-eighth annual UNSCEAR session (online)

21–25 June 2021, Vienna

UNSCEAR outreach activity in Japan

October 2021, Japan (TBC)

IAEA International Conference on a Decade of Progress after Fukushima-Daiichi:
Building on the Lessons Learned to Further Strengthen Nuclear Safety

8–12 November 2021, Vienna

Flashback to key events
The Chair’s note to the United Nations General assembly (online)

16 October 2020, New York

Sixty-seventh annual UNSCEAR session (online)

2–6 November 2020, Vienna

UNSCEAR Virtual Side Event “UNSCEAR Global Survey on Public Exposure”

13 November 2020

Third International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO3)(online)

16–19 January 2021

IRPA15 International Congress of the International Radiation Protection
Association

18–27 January 2021, Seoul

Fukushima Medical University International Symposium on the Fukushima HealthManagement Survey

2–3 February 2021, Shirakawa, Japan

21st Regular IACRS meeting (online)

16–18 February 2021

Launch of the UNSCEAR public exposure survey

1 March 2021

ECR 2021 conference (online)

3–7 March 2021

28th IACRNE meeting (online)

17–19 March 2021

Did you know?
• M r. Rolf Sievert (1896–1966, Sweden) was said to be the “father of radiation protection”. Mr. Sievert served as the Chairof UNSCEAR (1958–1960) for three sessions; and his student, Mr. Bo Lindell (1922–2016, Sweden), another pioneer inradiation protection, served as Chair of UNSCEAR for four sessions (1970–1971 and 1987–1988). Most recently in 2019,
Mr. Ingemar Lund was the Rapporteur for the sixty-sixth session and retired in 2020.
• Thirty-five years ago, the Chernobyl accident occured (26 April 1986). UNSCEAR has been evaluating the levels and effectsof this tragic event with the first publication of the UNSCEAR 1988 Report “Exposures from the Chernobyl accident”
and the latest White Paper 2017 “Evaluation of data on thyroid cancer in regions affected by the Chernobyl accident”(click here for more details).
•UNSCEAR has about 100 national contact persons for data collection on medical, occupational and public exposure(click here for more details).

The commitment of UNSCEAR to the Sustainable Development Goals
In developing its strategic directions, UNSCEAR contributes to theachievement of four Sustainable Development Goals, i.e. Goal 3 (GoodHealth and Well-being), Goal 14 (Life below Water), Goal 15 (Life on Land)
and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

UNSCEAR secretariat
UNITED NATIONSVienna International Centre
P.O. Box 500
A-1400 Vienna, AUSTRIACREDITS
Concept and Editorial:
Jaya Mohan
Design: EPU/UNOV
Photos: IAEA and UNSCEAR

Please send feedback andsuggestions to email:unscear@un.org