Recent history has witnessed conflict between nations over rights and access to fossil fuel resources. Such conflicts could also arise in the future over water shortages since many countries in the world lack readily available or abundant water resources to meet their needs. Isotopic techniques provide an important analytical tool for those responsible for managing natural resources. The Agency has established a dedicated isotope hydrology laboratory in Vienna that supports national development activities in natural resources management. Usually, TC projects develop experience and knowhow through training, expert advice and the provision of equipment to improve local infrastructure and build capacity to study water resources using tracer isotopes.
Isotopes are extremely powerful tools for investigating many areas of natural science.
Most elements are made up of different isotopes which are virtually identical to one another chemically, but are of different atomic mass. These rare isotopes permit a broad range of hydrological investigations. Isotope techniques are also proving to be an effective tool in unravelling this complex environmental phenomenon through subatomic analysis of carbon isotopes to determine what happens to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The isotopic composition of water can provide information about past climates and enable experts to monitor and compare global warming phenomena and to assess climate change going back tens of thousands of years. Isotopic techniques are also being used to help explain environmental phenomena such as the rise in the sea level of the Caspian Sea.