The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, addressed delegates at the IRPA14 Opening Plenary session in Cape Town this week. “Every care must be taken to ensure that the use of radioactive materials poses no undue hazard to the public or environment" he said.  "Accidents involving nuclear technology or materials can be harmful to human health or the environment and can also undermine public confidence in nuclear science and applications.  Effective international cooperation on safety is vital."

This sentiment was echoed by Renate Czarwinski, IRPA President, in her Welcome Address. “We need to be proactive in recognising the public needs and demands. A precondition for a successful explanation and discussion of the system of [radiation] protection with the public and stakeholders is trust and knowledge,” she said.

Mr Amano spoke about the recent anniversaries of Chernobyl and Fukushima: 'Both accidents caused immense suffering to people directly affected and their consequences will be with us for many years to come. But both also led to significant improvements in global nuclear safety. Chernobyl led to a leap forward in global cooperation on nuclear safety. Countries with nuclear power began sharing information and experience in a way they never had before. Important international legal instruments were adopted, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety. Since the Fukushima Daiichi accident, considerable improvements have been made in nuclear safety throughout the world. The key lesson from both accidents for everyone involved in nuclear power – plant operators, governments and regulators – is that safety can never be taken for granted. Complacency must be avoided at all costs.

See the Director General's full statement here.