Nuclear technologies contribute to a sustainable future
Last fall, ANS representatives participated in the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in order to explain how nuclear technology meets the needs and aspirations of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ANS continues to inform the public about nuclear applications that improve health, protect the environment, enhance agricultural productivity, and expand knowledge of our world.
Earth Day, founded in 1970, is credited for casting environmental protection as a national issue. The event features locally sponsored activities encouraging citizens to learn more about their planet.
Environmental protections have been aided by nuclear techniques in a variety of ways.
- The Sterile Insect Technique controls insects in South America, Africa, and the Middle East, improving agriculture and controlling disease without the use of chemical pesticides.
- Radioisotopes play an important role in detecting and analyzing pollutants including smog formation, sewage dispersal, and sulphur dioxide contamination of the atmosphere.
- An IAEA sponsored project utilized nuclear technology to help develop chickpeas resistant to disease, decreasing crop losses.
- Isotopic techniques help trace and measure underground water resources, ensuring adequate water supplies from Albania to Zaire.
