A number of side events on the margins of this year’s IAEA General Conference will provide a public opportunity to learn more about how the IAEA supports the practical application of nuclear science and technology to address a wide range of development challenges. The events, all of which are open to the public via online platforms, will highlight the growing role of nuclear applications in Africa, the impact of isotopic techniques on environmental monitoring and the expanding contribution of women in nuclear.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. A side event on 21 September will promote awareness of the role of high-quality stable isotopes in verifying greenhouse gas emissions, a necessary step in meeting this goal.
The Technical Cooperation Programme in Asia and the Pacific: Major Contributions to Development
On 22 September, in recognition of the United Nations Day for South–South Cooperation, a side event will explore how collaboration in nuclear technology contributes to development in the region. Held in connection with the launch of the 2020 IAEA publication Journeys to Success, panellists will include national experts and counterparts of the IAEA technical cooperation programme, who will highlight the contribution of the technical cooperation programme in areas including nuclear medicine, non-destructive testing and agricultural productivity.
Enhancing Human Resource Development in Nuclear Science and Technology
Results achieved under ongoing long-term training programmes in Africa will be presented at a side event on 23 September. The event will also examine business plans for establishing national nuclear science and technology facilities for post-graduate-level research, as well as plans to promote nuclear science and technology within existing regional programmes.
A regional chapter of Women in Nuclear, hosted within the Regional Cooperative Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (ARCAL), will be launched during this event on 24 September. Attendees will also hear about efforts to increase gender parity in the implementation of the regional technical cooperation programme.
In addition to these side events, representatives will attend the annual meetings of the regional cooperative agreements AFRA, ARCAL, ARASIA and RCA, and the regular annual meeting of National Liaison Officers from the Europe region.
Exhibition
Alongside other IAEA Departments and specialized programmes, the Department of Technical Cooperation will host an exhibition throughout the weeklong conference, showcasing how the technical cooperation programme functions and the impact it helps to achieve.
Conference attendees are invited to visit the booth to pick up copies of the latest materials and publications, to view new videos and to meet IAEA staff at ‘Meet the Expert’ sessions. Using the hashtag #IAEATC, visitors are also encouraged to publish photos of their visit to the exhibition on Twitter.
