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INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) The IAEA Environment Laboratories has
was founded in 1957 within the United Nations been engaged in ocean acidification activities
system as a specialized body working towards since 2013. It hosts the Ocean Acidification
the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC)
science and technology. Today, the IAEA also - a project launched at the RIO +20 conference.
actively contributes to the implementation of The OA-ICC implements the following three key
the UN Sustainable Development Goals for overarching activities: science, capacity building,
effective social, economic and environmental and communication. The project also contributes
development. One of the IAEA’s principal goals to the Global Ocean Acidification Observing
is “to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of Network (GOA-ON), supports joint experiments
atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity and inter-comparison exercises, advocates for
throughout the world”. For its efforts to prevent a stronger collaboration between natural and
nuclear proliferation and enhance the peaceful social sciences, works towards the development
uses of nuclear energy, the IAEA was awarded of best practices in ocean acidification research,
the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. and offers free access to its unique bibliographic
data base on ocean acidification.
As part of the Department of Nuclear Sciences
and Applications, the IAEA Environment Frequently the OA-ICC organizes regional
Laboratories assists Member States in protecting training courses for scientists from developing
the environment through improved monitoring countries and supports their participation in
and radioactivity assessment capacity. The international scientific events.
Environment Laboratories develop nuclear and
isotopic techniques that help better understand The project offers daily updated information on
physical and chemical processes in the Ocean ocean acidification research results, related jobs,
and that are shared with the Member States meetings etc. on its news stream and provide
through technology transfer and capacity comprehensive resources grouped according to
building efforts. Seafood safety, radioactive audience and language on its website.
tracers, harmful algal blooms and the ocean
carbon cycle are some of the topics that are The OA-ICC contributes on a regular basis to
currently being addressed by the Laboratories. major international publications and participates
in high-level international meetings addressing
Nuclear and isotopic techniques can constitute the problem of ocean acidification.
unique tools to advance ocean acidification
research. They allow scientists to assess past
changes in seawater chemistry, as well as to
evaluate the biological response of marine
species to ocean acidification (e.g. primary
production, growth, calcification rates etc.).

www.iaea.org