Welcome
Last updated : March 26 2012About our Union
WHAT IS RADIOECOLOGY
Radioecology is a highly multidisciplinary scientific discipline situated at the crossroads between environmental radioactivity, whether natural or man-made, and its consequences on both, man and the environment. It deals with radioactivity as a stressor requiring risk assessment, but also as a tracer of biogeochemical and ecological processes.
Radioecology is facing a highly strategic new context that particularly challenges IUR since recently. In the one hand, political decisions are currently being made worldwide to start replacing the nuclear power plants that have been operating since several decades, strengthening the need for efficient radiological protection. In the other hand, concerns about the sustainability of life on the planet are growing, pushed by the emergence of large scale ecological disturbances, and protection of the environment from the potential stressors induced hazards has become a priority.
For further information, download the following presentation:
What is radioecology? Radioecology in 2012 - Current research directions and trends for the future.
THE UNION'S APPROACH
The International Union of Radioecology is an independent, non-political and non-profit scientific organisation.
The first overarching role of the Union therefore is to perpetuate a "think tank" capacity on radioecology issues through the maintenance of a network of scientists and professionals from all over the world to foster communication between researchers from different fields and geographical regions through brain storming in task groups, the publication and circulation of technical papers, organization of conferences, training courses, job alerts.
Thereby, the aims of IUR are both to represent the particular needs and aspirations of the international radioecology community and to support this radioecology community.
A detailed description of the IUR's approach to "a renewed strategy in a changing world" is given in the article:
Integrating environment protection, a new challenge: strategy of the International Union of Radioecology by F. Brechignac, R. Alexakhin, J. M. Godoy, D. H. Oughton, S. Sheppard, P. Strand, published in Radioprotection (2008), Vol. 43, n°3 pp.339-356.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE UNION
The main objectives of IUR are focused on science. They are summarized as follows:
- To ensure, stimulate and maintain high level radioecological expertise capacity throughout the world to secure the safe development of nuclear based technologies and the public awareness and acceptance. This leads to commitments in education and training of the next generation of scientists, professionals and regulators.
- To promote scientific innovation, identify research priorities and stimulate the co-construction of international programmes sharing resources and research infrastructures. This leads to committing specific Task Groups on all necessary and relevant issues.
- To perpetuate and strengthen its 30 years old network of scientists and professionals for the benefit of all members and member countries. This leads to commitments in communication and information aimed at ensuring wide common understanding, standardized methods of assessment (pollutants have no frontier), dissemination of recent scientific achievements and knowledge, equal access to the most up-to-date information.
- To liaise all the above radioecological outputs with other relevant international organisations, whether focused on science, operational radioecology, or regulation for radiation protection.
THE UNION'S MAIN TOOLS OF ACTION
- IUR activities are organised through a number of Task Groups (brain storming), meetings, workshops, conferences and training courses.
- IUR also publishes Reports, Newsletters and occasionally, electronic letters for relevant scientific events.
- The IUR WEBSITE supports the stream of information exchanges and enables wider distribution among the IUR members and the scientific community worldwide - in addition to Networking
- IUR promotes the dissemination of recent scientific achievements facilitated by an affiliation of the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity.
