United Nations News Centre - Interview with Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) United Nations News Centre Interview with Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano , Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). UN Photo/Mark Garten 1 May 2015  Yukiya Amano , a former Japanese diplomat, has served as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) since 2009. The Vienna-based UN body was set up in 1957 as the world’s centre for cooperation in the nuclear field. It works with its member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies, as well as to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Mr. Amano served as Japan’s representative at the IAEA for several years before his appointment as Director General and gained a great deal of experience in disarmament and non-proliferation diplomacy, as well as nuclear energy issues.

While in New York this week for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ( NPT ), the head of the UN nuclear watchdog spoke to the UN News Centre about the Conference and the work of the IAEA to strengthen the Treaty’s three pillars – disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.When I became the Director General, I said that as I come from a country with the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I will stay firm against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The interview has been edited for content and clarity. News Centre: As the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference gets underway, what is the IAEA’s main message at the forum? Yukiya Amano: The NPT treaty has three pillars and I think it is very important for the NPT that progress would be made in all of the three pillars. News Centre: Could you tell me a little bit more about those three pillars? Yukiya Amano: One is nuclear disarmament; another is non-proliferation; and the other is the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

These are said to be the three pillars of the NPT. Excerpts from interview with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano. Credit: United Nations News Centre: What do you see as the major concerns today in the area of proliferation? Yukiya Amano: In the area of proliferation, one of the important areas of concern is the Iranian nuclear issue. The IAEA is implementing safeguards in Iran and we can say that nuclear materials and facilities under safeguards are for peaceful purposes. But we cannot say that all the nuclear materials and facilities are for peaceful purpose. There have been very good developments since autumn 2013. The IAEA and Iran agreed on a so-called Framework for Cooperation to resolve issues through cooperation. The six Powers – six countries – and Iran agreed on another agreement for interim purposes and now the six countries and Iran are negotiating to reach agreement on the comprehensive agreement. The IAEA will play an essential role in the implementation of the agreement once agreement is reached. The IAEA mission team studies a water purification system that removes radioactive elements from water during a February 2015 visit to the Fukushima power plant in Japan that was damaged in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Photo: Susanna Loof/IAEA News Centre: What do you hope is going to be the outcome of this NPT conference? Yukiya Amano: It is for the Member States of the NPT to decide but I hope a good agreement will be reached to promote progress on all three pillars of the NPT. News Centre: Can you give me some examples of how the Agency is assisting countries with the peaceful uses of nuclear technology to promote development? Yukiya Amano: The IAEA is very active in transferring technology – nuclear technology – for peaceful applications. Nuclear technology is very effective in promoting causes like the protection of health and the environment, controlling water, fighting against cancer, and some applications for industry and agriculture. The IAEA is contributing to attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and, upon agreement, to the post-2015 development agenda. News Centre: Can I ask you a little bit more about how the IAEA will be involved in the post-2015 development agenda? Yukiya Amano: Let me give you some specific examples. In the field of agriculture, Isotopic technology is very helpful to understand the behaviour of our water. Most of the water is just wasted in irrigation.

By understanding the behaviour of the water, we can recommend how to use water in an effective way so water is applied to the point where it is most needed. This is called ‘Drip Irrigation.’ By using this technology of Drip Irrigation in Kenya, we have succeeded in increasing the production of tomatoes by three times, while, at the same time, reducing the amount of water used by half. In Tanzania, Drip Irrigation helped to increase the harvest of tea by four times. After a four-year eradication programme that included nuclear techniques, the Niayes region of Senegal is now almost free of the tsetse fly, which used to decimate livestock. Seen above is the deployment of a tsetse trap to monitor the progress of the eradication campaign. Photo: M. Vreysen/Joint FAO/IAEA Division In Viet Nam, another technology called ‘Plant Mutation’ helped to develop a new variety of rice. This new variety produced more crops – but that’s not all. This new variety is more resistant to salty soil. Salty soil is quite a widespread problem because of climate change. News Centre: You mentioned some of the applications of nuclear technology that people might not expect or associate with the IAEA.

Another one is the fight against Ebola. Can you tell me how the IAEA has been involved in that? Yukiya Amano: Yes. These activities are not well known but in the recent outbreak of Ebola, the IAEA provided assistance. We provided kits to diagnose Ebola virus disease. The advantage is that by using our technology, they can diagnose in four hours instead of four days. That difference between four hours and four days makes a huge difference to saving lives of patients and preventing the spread of the disease. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano (left) tours the Steve Biko Memorial Hospital during his official visit to South Africa on 19 March 2015. Photo: Conleth Brady/IAEA News Centre: Are there any other high priority issues with which the IAEA is dealing? Yukiya Amano: Yes. One of the high priority issues of the IAEA in the peaceful use of nuclear technology is the fight against cancer, or cancer control in developing countries. Cancer is becoming more and more important an issue in many developing countries. Death by cancer globally is more than death by tuberculosis, HIV and malaria combined. Two-thirds of deaths by cancer [are] in developing countries.

Many developing countries do not have sufficient equipment for diagnosis. When people come to the screening, it is too late and doctors cannot give life-saving treatment. The IAEA has expertise in nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. We work with the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist developing countries to have better control of cancer. This is very important work by the IAEA and it’s a pity that cancer in developing countries is not considered as [part of] a global health agenda. News Centre: Can you tell me what ‘Atoms for Peace’ means to you? Yukiya Amano: ‘Atoms for Peace’ were the words used in the famous statement by (United States) President (Dwight D.) Eisenhower. But if we look at the activities of the IAEA in the 21st century, this can by better summarized as – the IAEA uses atoms for peace and development. [Development] is a very important area. The IAEA is a unique international organisation that has some laboratories. We have technology and we transfer the technology through our technical cooperation. We can contribute to improving the lives of ordinary people and that is fascinating for me. How the atom benefits life.

Credit: IAEAvideo News Centre: I’m interested in finding out how you developed your personal interest in nuclear science. Where did that stem from? Yukiya Amano: When I was young, I wanted to study biochemistry and I did. But later I found it was too difficult for me and I changed my mind. I studied law and became a diplomat. I was a Japanese diplomat, but in 2009 I joined the IAEA as the Director General. And now I have the opportunity to make that technology available for the people. And I would like to take this opportunity, this privilege, to contribute to the welfare of the people. News Centre: Growing up in Japan, did the country’s nuclear history have any bearing on your interest? Yukiya Amano: When I became the Director General, I said that as I come from a country with the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I will stay firm against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The IAEA has the very important objective of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. But we need to be very fair and factual, so I am requesting all countries to fully implement the agreement between them and the IAEA, which are called the Safeguard Agreements.

News Centre: It’s five years now since you took on your role as Director General and I’m interested in where you see the Agency making its biggest contribution in the future with regard to security and development? Yukiya Amano: We can do a lot to contribute to development by using nuclear techniques. And also we are very active in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. In using nuclear technology, it is very important to ensure safety. Whether it is used for electricity generation purposes or to fight against cancer, when we use nuclear material, we should pay the utmost attention to ensure safety. Another very important area is the fight against nuclear terrorism. Nuclear terrorism is a real issue. The IAEA is functioning as a global platform to strengthen nuclear security efforts. We can train people; we can provide equipment; we also maintain a database. This is another area where we can contribute.

Read related news story: International Atomic Energy Agency - The Atoms for Peace and Development Organization International Atomic Energy Agency - The Atoms for Peace and Development Organization International Atomic Energy Agency - The Atoms for Peace and Development Organization “IAEA in Focus” provides a brief introduction to the Organization About the IAEA The IAEA is widely known as the world's "Atoms for Peace" organization within the United Nations family. Set up in 1957 as the world's centre for cooperation in the nuclear field, the Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. It is comprised of 167 Member States (as of November 2015).

Mission Statement: The International Atomic Energy Agency is an independent intergovernmental, science and technology-based organization, in the United Nations family, that serves as the global focal point for nuclear cooperation; The Agency’s range of activities is focused, in a balanced manner, on promoting peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, enhancing nuclear safety and security, helping to strengthen global nuclear verification and non-proliferation efforts, and, through its technical cooperation programme, ensuring that the benefits of nuclear science and technology are shared by all of its Member States for their economic and social development. IAEA Core activities: Safeguards and Verification – verifying that safeguarded nuclear material and activities are not used for military purposes; Safety and Security – helping countries to upgrade nuclear safety and security, and to prepare and respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies; Science and technology – helping countries mobilize peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology; IAEA Procurement Procurement Aim: Achieve the goals and objectives of the Agency and Best Value for Money (BVM), through fair, transparent and effective international competition.

How and what we buy The IAEA procures a diverse array of goods, equipment and services: scientific, information technology, technical consultants, medical, agricultural, geological, hydrological and so on; The IAEA procurement volume has a total value of €100 million for supply of goods and services per year. About half of these orders are for field delivery to IAEA Member States in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America in support of IAEA field projects. The remainder are for IAEA's Headquarters sourcing in Vienna, Austria, its Laboratories at Seibersdorf, Austria, and Monaco; Pursuant to the Agency’s Administrative Rules, all procurements with an estimated value equal to or in excess of € 25,000 shall be competed to the maximum extent practicable considering all reasonable sources. Public announcement is required for competitive procurements equal to or in excess of € 150,000, which is done on UNGM.

International Atomic Energy Agency - SourceWatch International Atomic Energy Agency Jump to: navigation , search This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's focus on the fallout of nuclear "spin." Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. The IAEA's stated mission is to encourage the development of the peaceful application of nuclear technology, provide international safeguards against its misuse, and facilitate the application of safety measures in its use. IAEA expanded its nuclear safety efforts in response to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986. In 2003, the IAEA established its Chernobyl Forum , to "promote facts about health and environmental effects" of the 1986 nuclear disaster. The Forum will report to the United Nations General Assembly in 2005. [1] But past IAEA studies and statements about Chernobyl have been widely criticized by some scientists, environmental groups and anti-nuclear activists.

One European nuclear engineer who studied Chernobyl dismissed early IAEA damage assessments, warning in 1986 that: "the IAEA is in the business of promoting nuclear energy, not discouraging it. However, for 10 years the agency has attempted to downplay the consequences of the accident. In 1987, for example, well before information began to filter out of the Soviet Union on the true extent of the accident, an IAEA report reassuringly noted: '... if anything, there will be a modification downward of early calculations of risks and predictions of health consequences.'" [2] Contents Yukiya Amano 1 December 2009 Mohamed ElBaradei -- 1 December 1997 – 30 November 2009 Hans Blix -- 1981 to 1997 The IAEA's Mission and Mandate Spreading Peaceful Atoms or Proliferating Weapons? The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was set up in 1957 as the world´s "Atoms for Peace" organization within the United Nations.

Its job is to: "… accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world..” But, at the same time it has to ensure that any assistance provided “…is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose." [3] Atoms for Peace? In his famous December 1953 speech to the UN, President Dwight Eisenhower proposed, as part of his “Atoms for Peace” programme, the creation of a new International Atomic Energy Agency to take custody of nuclear material, ensure its safe keeping, and use it for peaceful purposes. Negotiations ended in 1956 with the approval of the IAEA Statute, and the IAEA was established as an intergovernmental organisation affiliated with the UN in 1957. Then, in 1970, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was ratified. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), prohibits the five acknowledged nuclear weapons states – the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China – from transferring nuclear weapons or associated technology to non-nuclear states, yet obligates them to provide technologies for civilian nuclear activities.

In return the non-nuclear states agree not to seek weapons and to accept ‘safeguards’ on their civilian nuclear materials. Promoting Proliferation Even before the ink was dry on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in l968, officials in the U.S. State Policy Planning staff had privately warned their superiors that non-weapons member states to the treaty could come within weeks of acquiring a nuclear arsenal by amassing nuclear weapons-useable fuels claiming that these were intended for peaceful purposes. But this advice was quietly ignored. [4] In fact there have been three major recent challenges to the IAEA system. Iraq, Iran and North Korea have all been found to be in breach of their agreements with IAEA when each of them was a party to the NPT. The IAEA safeguards system failed to detect their clandestine and illegal nuclear activities. It seems that the system only works effectively when countries operate according to the rule of law and have no intention of violating their obligations. [5] India was perhaps the first nation to realize exactly what kind of a door the Atoms for Peace initiative was opening.

Although not a signatory to the NPT, in 1955 Canada built India a research reactor, and the United States supplied heavy water, after it promised to keep its atomic activities peaceful. Thanks to these Atoms for Peace contributions, India was able to derive approximately 600 pounds of plutonium, some of which it used in a 1974 nuclear test. [6] According to Alice Slater - a founder of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons: “the IAEA has been the world's most effective agent for increasing the spread of nuclear weapons around the planet with its industry-dominated promotion of so-called "peaceful" nuclear technology”. [7] Weapons' State in Control The IAEA Secretariat has its headquarters in Vienna, and a team of 2200 staff from more than 90 countries. The Agency is led by Director General Mohamed ElBaradei and six Deputy Directors General who head the major departments. IAEA programmes and budgets are set through decisions of its policymaking bodies - the Board of Governors, composed of 35 Member States elected by the General Conference of all Member States.

All five of the declared nuclear weapon states, as well as India and Pakistan, are members of the Board of Governors for 2006-7. [8] Reports on IAEA activities are submitted annually to the UN General Assembly and, when appropriate, to the Security Council regarding non-compliance by States with their safeguards obligations as well as on matters relating to international peace and security. IAEA financial resources include the regular budget and voluntary contributions. The Regular Budget for 2006 amounts to 274 million euros. The target for voluntary contributions is $77.5 million. Nuclear Power's Biggest Cheer-leader The WNA is lobbying for a massive increase in nuclear generation: some 1,000GW of nuclear capacity by 2030. This is not surprising since the the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists calls the IAEA “nuclear power's biggest cheerleader”. The journal says the IAEA has always been an atomic optimist - in a 1974 analysis, for example, it predicted that Uganda might need three nuclear power plants, and Liberia, two. [9] The IAEA is closely aligned with the nuclear industry.

IAEA Director General from 1981 until 1997, Dr Hans Blix , is a Chairman of the Council of Advisors to the World Nuclear Association (WNA). And the Director General of WNA, John Ritch , is the former US Ambassador to the IAEA. The UN's Nuclear Watchdog? The IAEA is frequently described in the media as the United Nation’s Nuclear Watchdog. [10] A watchdog, according to Chambers Dictionary is an “organisation closely monitoring governmental or commercial operations to guard against inefficiency and illegality”. This implies the Agency is charged simply with preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. But this is not the Agency’s sole role - it also promotes nuclear technologies – an objective that would appear to be in conflict with its watchdog role - because the promotion of nuclear energy can cause the spread of nuclear weapons. Critics say, because the two objectives of the IAEA contradict each other, the Agency is in urgent need of a radical reform, and recent developments underline this. The activities of the Khan network, for example, illustrates how, so-called, peaceful nuclear technology can be used for military purposes.

Abdul Qaadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s bomb, was able to build a global nuclear information network and business, which had access to supposedly secret uranium enrichment technology. Using a mixture of legal and illegal transactions involving businesses all over the world, ultracentrifuge enrichment technology was exported to Libya, North Korea and Iran. [11] A Misguided Response to Climate Change And Nuclear Proliferation Nuclear Won't Slow Global Warming At the IAEA General Conference in September 2000, a resolution was adopted which requested the IAEA to assist countries to use nuclear power “in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions”. The nuclear industry, the G8 and the IAEA all advocate the global expansion of the nuclear industry to combat climate change. However the industry's critics argue that, because of the proliferation risks, such a strategy would simply be leaping out of the frying pan into the fire. In 2004 the IAEA produced a report, which concluded that “even under the most favourable circumstances," nuclear power wouldn't slow global warming.

It said, "the world would have to be so prosperous to afford" a significant increase in nuclear plants that greenhouse gas emissions "from fossil fuels would have grown even faster." [12] Yet the Agency continues to advocate nuclear power as part of the solution to climate change and forecast that the use of nuclear energy will increase rapidly in the coming years. It predicted that nuclear power’s contribution to electricity supplies would rise from one-sixth in 2004 to a quarter in 2030. The organisation also called for financial penalties to be placed on carbon emissions. [13] In 2006, total global nuclear capacity was 396GW(e). At a fringe meeting at the Nairobi Climate Conference in November 2006, Alan McDonald, IAEA Programme Liaison Officer gave two scenarios for growth in nuclear capacity. In the low growth scenario capacity would reach 423 GW(e) by 2020 and then remain effectively level, at least until 2030. In the high projection, global nuclear capacity goes up to 679 GW(e) in 2030.

[14] Inalienable Right At the July 2006 G8 summit in St Petersburg one solution to the twin dilemmas of tackling climate change and preventing nuclear proliferation was proposed. The widespread sale of nuclear reactors to developing countries was envisaged, but the more sensitive nuclear facilities that can be easily diverted for making bombs would be kept within the G8. Other countries would not be allowed to enrich uranium fuel, or to reprocess spent fuel to extract plutonium. They would have to buy fuel enrichment and reprocessing services from G8 countries. [15] But, as El Baradei himself points out, there is nothing in the current non-proliferation regime (the IAEA Statute and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) to stop a non-nuclear-weapon state obtaining uranium enrichment or reprocessing technology – both of which could give access to weapons-useable nuclear material – provided they promise to use them for peaceful purposes. Any such country could later renege on its non-proliferation commitments.

This means the Agency is faced with an impossible dilemma: should it support the 'inalienable right' of countries like India and Iran to dual-use nuclear facilities or should it accept criteria that holds that plutonium separation and uranium enrichment is acceptable for Japan and western countries but not for others? [16] El Baradei has also suggested the establishment of multinational proliferation-sensitive fuel cycle facilities. [17] He says this would lower the risk of these materials being diverted to weapons. A parallel step would be to create a mechanism to ensure a reliable supply of reactor fuel to bona fide users, including a fuel bank under control of the IAEA. But critics suggest that both the IAEA and G8 proposals would formalise the current unfair and unequal system by creating a de facto oligopoly of nuclear suppliers. There is no basis, other than a "do as I say, not as I do" approach, for the West to say to others - the Iranians, for example - that they cannot build the same nuclear facilities. Any attempt to do that would be likely to give rise to strong opposition and resentment from those countries not allowed nuclear fuel cycle facilities. It would be seen as nothing more than hypocrisy, and racism.

[18] Multilateral, centralized nuclear facilities would also result in an increase in the number of radioactive waste and nuclear fuel transports, as well as an increased trade in plutonium, exposing coastal states to increased risks, to which they have strongly objected in the recent past. [19] “Proliferation Resistant” Reactors – a Misconception Even if the IAEA were successful in restricting the spread of sensitive nuclear facilities, a growth in the number of new reactors around the globe could still cause proliferation problems. Light Water Reactors, like the ones requested by North Korea in return for abandoning its nuclear weapons programme, can be efficient producers of plutonium, which could be separated from spent fuel in a plant simple to design and build which could be in operation in four to six months. It does not need to be a large industrial scale facility like Sellafield or La Hague. [20] The IAEA does not have complete real-time camera monitoring of spent fuel storage areas in countries where it is monitoring. There is, therefore, a danger that IAEA safeguards create the illusion that any diversion of material from peaceful to military uses would be detected in time, when it is quite possible that it wouldn’t be.

Restricting the number of states operating sensitive facilities, at the same time as supplying countries with nuclear materials, provided they promise to use them for peaceful purposes, could be laying the foundations for more proliferation. Increased trade in plutonium and enriched uranium would increase the security risks associated with nuclear energy. The IAEA’s proposed Multilateral Nuclear Approaches (MNA) could, therefore, rather than solve some of the key problems of nuclear power, actually increase nuclear proliferation as well as radioactive contamination of the environment. [21] Nuclear Power Not a "Fix All" Speaking at the Nairobi climate summit in November 2006, IAEA´s Alan McDonald argued that nuclear power was not a "fix all" but it could help to reduce the risk of climate change. Mr. McDonald argued that nuclear power was "on par" with solar and wind energy when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. The full nuclear power chain, from resource extraction to waste disposal, emits 1-6 grams of carbon per kilowatt-hour – about the same as wind and solar power and well below coal, oil and natural gas, he contended. [22] Nuclear Safety The Fox In Charge Of The Chicken Coop The IAEA also promotes nuclear safety and security.

However it cannot impose legally binding standards on member-states. It has voluntary Codes of Practice for nuclear power plants. The Convention on Nuclear Safety, which entered into force in October 1996, aims to legally commit participating States to maintain a high level of safety by setting international benchmarks. But the convention does not set out mandatory safety standards for reactors nor does it contain provisions for sanctions in the event of a party failing to meet its obligations. Convention Parties are obliged to submit reports on implementation for "peer review" at meetings of the Parties. [23] The contradiction at the heart of the Agency’s mission – to promote the desirability and availability of nuclear technology at the same time as presenting itself as an international ‘regulator’ or ‘watchdog’ over nuclear safety makes it difficult to have confidence in them. An alternative view, presented by Greenpeace in 2005, is that all operational reactors have very serious inherent safety flaws which cannot be eliminated by safety upgrading. New reactor designs - heralded as fundamentally safe - have their own specific safety problems, and extending the lifetime of existing reactors leads to the degradation of critical components and the increased risk of severe incidents. Nor can reactors be sufficiently protected against a terrorist threat.

[24] Chernobyl Spin to Boost Nuclear Fortunes During a two-day conference in Vienna, in September 2005, the IAEA presented a report claiming that ultimately some 4,000 deaths can be expected as a result of the world's worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986. [25] The IAEA digest report, "Chernobyl's Legacy: Health, Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts," was based on a three-volume, 600-page report which incorporated the work of hundreds of scientists, economists and health experts, assessing the 20-year impact of the largest nuclear accident in history. The conclusions of the IAEA digest were not substantiated by this report. Indeed they were contradicted by them. Greenpeace and other environmental groups accused the Agency of deliberately playing down the death toll in order to portray nuclear energy itself as an acceptable future energy source. [26] Huge Underestimate Zhanat Carr, a radiation scientist with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, said an extra 5000 deaths were omitted from an IAEA/WHO report because it was a "political communication tool".

Elizabeth Cardis, a radiation specialist from the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, said that 30,000 to 60,000 cancer deaths is "the right order of magnitude". [27] IARC predicted the number of cancer deaths at between 6,700 and 38,000, probably around 16,000. This was four times the prediction made by the IAEA/WHO Chernobyl Forum. [28] In contrast, a report by two UK radiation scientists for the European Green Party [29] estimated that Chernobyl could kill up to 60,000 people. And a Greenpeace report, with input from 52 scientists from around the world, estimated that over 250,000 cancers and nearly 100,000 fatal cancers will be caused by the accident. [30] WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl, told the BBC that its report only looked at the most affected areas of the three most affected countries, whereas the Greenpeace report looked at the whole of Europe.

[31] This was not made immediately obvious in the IAEA Press Release, [32] and it was certainly not obvious from the press coverage. Headlines such as “Chernobyl death toll much lower than predicted” gave a highly misleading impression of the report’s conclusions. [33] [34] [35] [36] Towards a new UN Sustainable Energy Agency Critics suggest that we cannot hope to prevent proliferation by stopping some countries from acquiring sensitive nuclear technology whilst allowing others to have it. History has taught us that if countries cannot obtain nuclear technology through legal means, they will acquire it illegally if they have the political will, determination and enough money to pay for it. If the international community is serious about tackling nuclear proliferation there is an urgent need to implement a comprehensive fissile material treaty that bans the production and possession of enriched uranium and plutonium. Environment and non-proliferation groups argue that the United Nations needs a body which can lead the way in tackling the twin threats of climate change and nuclear proliferation by stating clearly that we need to phase out nuclear power and replace it with cheaper, safer, less polluting and sustainable ways to meet our energy needs which promote world peace rather than threatening it.

[37] Contact details The "Atoms for Peace" Agency | IAEA The "Atoms for Peace" Agency The IAEA is the world's centre for cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the world's "Atoms for Peace" organization in 1957 within the United Nations family. The Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. Organizational Profile The IAEA Secretariat is headquartered at the Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria. Operational liaison and regional offices are located in Geneva, Switzerland, New York, USA, Toronto, Canada and Tokyo, Japan. The IAEA runs or supports research centres and scientific laboratories in Vienna and Seibersdorf, Austria, Monaco and Trieste, Italy. The IAEA Secretariat is a team of some 2500 multidisciplinary professional and support staff from more than 100 countries. The Agency is led by the Director General and six Deputy Director Generals who head the major departments. IAEA programmes and budgets are set through decisions taken by its policy-making bodies : the 35 members of the Board of Governors and the General Conference comprising representatives from all IAEA Member States.

Reports on IAEA activities are submitted periodically and, as cases warrant, to the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly. IAEA financial resources include the regular budget and voluntary contributions. The General Conference sets the annual regular budget and addresses extra-budgetary funds as well as voluntary contributions made to the Technical Cooperation Fund. These figures are published in the latest IAEA Annual Report . IAEA Mission & Programmes The IAEA's mission is guided by the interests and needs of Member States, strategic plans and the vision embodied in the IAEA Statute . Three main areas of work underpin the IAEA's mission: Safety and Security, Science and Technology, and Safeguards and Verification. Relationship with the United Nations As an independent international organization related to the United Nations (UN) system, the IAEA's relationship with the UN is regulated by a special agreement . In terms of its Statute, the IAEA reports annually to the UN General Assembly and, when appropriate, to the UN Security Council regarding States' non-compliance with safeguards obligations, as well as on matters relating to international peace and security.

Related Resources Profile: IAEA, the nuclear watchdog - BBC News BBC News Profile: IAEA, the nuclear watchdog 5 February 2015 Close share panel Image copyright AP Image caption The IAEA tries to keep an eye on the world's nuclear facilities, such as this one in Iran The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - the nuclear watchdog of the United Nations - promotes the peaceful use of atomic energy while trying to make sure that the technology is not used for military purposes. It has a high-profile role in monitoring compliance with international safeguards, including the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In recent years it has been active in Iran, North Korea and Iraq. At a glance The IAEA is the United Nations' nuclear watchdog Set up in 1957 as ''Atoms for Peace'' organisation Works with its members states and partners to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies Polices the global pact against the spread of atomic weapons Profile compiled by BBC Monitoring Nobel peace prize judges spoke of the "incalculable" importance of its work in awarding the 2005 prize to the agency and its then director, Mohamed ElBaradei.

The agency also researches the use of atomic energy in such areas as agriculture, industry and medicine. It shares expertise among its members - especially those in the developing world - and sets safety standards. The IAEA advises its members about developing and operating nuclear power stations and disposing of radioactive waste. It had a big role in the aftermath of Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster in 1986 and is involved in decommissioning the Soviet-era plant. 'Atoms for peace' The IAEA's roots go back to the early 1950s, when rapid advances in nuclear technology were being made and memories of the destruction wrought by the atomic bomb attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were fresh. We have nine countries that possess nuclear weapons, we have 27,000 warheads in existence Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA chief 1997-2009 In 1953 US President Dwight D Eisenhower, mindful of trends which he believed would lead to a nuclear arms race, made his "Atoms for Peace" speech to the UN. He envisaged a body that would develop the technology along peaceful lines.

His vision found form in the IAEA, which began work in 1957 as an autonomous, inter-governmental body under the wing of the UN. After the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, Washington backed calls for an increase in the agency's budget and President George W Bush described the IAEA as a key player in the coalition against terrorism. The agency has warned of the dangers of nuclear-related terrorism. The Bush administration subsequently expressed its dissatisfaction at what it saw as the IAEA's failure to take a tougher line with aspiring nuclear powers such as Iran. Membership: 145 nations Headquarters: Vienna, Austria Known nuclear-armed states: China, France, India, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, UK, US (Israel is widely believed to have nuclear arms) Under Bush's successor, Barack Obama, the US has softened its stance and signalled a readiness to give positive diplomatic engagement with countries such as Iran a chance to work. However, by 2010 Iran was seen by the US as failing to respond to such overtures, and following a critical IAEA report on Iran published in February, the UN Security Council voted in favour of intensifying sanctions against the country.

Leadership Director-general: Yukiya Amano The veteran Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano took over the helm of the agency in December 2009, succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei, who had led the IAEA since 1997. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Yukiya Amano is responsible for implementing IAEA programmes Born in 1947, Mr Amano is a law graduate and French speaker. He began his diplomatic career when he joined the Japanese Foreign Ministry in 1972. He went on to specialise in multilateral disarmament, taking part in the arms control talks that produced the 1995 extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He became Tokyo's representative to the IAEA in 2005. Seen as a reserved technocrat, he acknowledged that he was assuming leadership of the organisation at a "stormy" time - with the relationship between the IAEA and Iran having just reached a new low - and pledged to seek to defuse tensions.

However, Mr Amano's first report on Iran, published in February 2010, broke with the more cautious style of his predecessor and for the first time raised concerns that Tehran could be seeking to produce a nuclear warhead for a missile. Governors formulate policy He has continued to take a firmer line with Iran than Mr ElBaradei had with a further critical report in late 2010, prompting Tehran to accuse the IAEA of deploying "spies" in the country. The director-general is assisted by six deputy directors-general. He heads the Secretariat, which is responsible for implementing IAEA programmes. A 35-member Board of Governors formulates the agency's policies. All IAEA members are part of the General Conference, which meets every year to discuss agency activities and its budget. Issues and challenges The IAEA has no authority to act on its own, but relies on the willingness of nations to cooperate, or on a UN mandate. Its former head, Mohamed ElBaradei, complained that the agency enjoyed only "uneven authority".

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The North Korea has kept its nuclear facilities well hidden from foreign eyes The problem became apparent in 2002, when North Korea expelled IAEA inspectors, making it almost impossible for the agency to monitor Pyongyang's nuclear activities. Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear programme goes on despite increased IAEA pressure for it to suspend its nuclear activities. Israel, which analysts believe has nuclear warheads, has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and so is not subject to IAEA inspections or sanctions. India and Pakistan, which have acknowledged their possession of nuclear weapons, are also not signatories to the Treaty. The IAEA has been accused, notably by Pakistan, of restricting the transfer of nuclear know-how to developing countries, hindering their social and economic development.

Question: Where was the UN Atomic Energy Agency based when it was set up in 1957?
Answer: Vienna