Radioecology and our future

Transcription

1 Radioecology and our future Radioecology s contribution to preserving ecosystem health François Bréchignac Congressional Briefings, Washington DC, USA, 6 October 2016 Mount Ste Victoire, Aix en Provence, France

2 Today s global environmental issues Climate change impacts: Indirect impact on human prosperity and life via temperature rise and its consequences (more floods, more droughts, more fires, more extreme climatic events) Biodiversity decline: one pillar of ecosystem structure (linked to the sustainability of ecosystem functions and services) Stressors deleterious impact on man and the biosphere (endocrine disruptors, pesticides,, radionuclides)

3 Role of Radioecology Radionuclides today s general context: Nuclear activities expand trhoughout the world (so do the associated risks) Legacy wastes accumulate in many places worldwide (in more or less safe conditions ) Severe accidents spreading radioactivity over large areas can no longer be excluded (unability to clearly demonstrate what is the risk promotes fears and sterile attitudes with respect to technology development & innovation) Radiation impact has become a global environmental issue that defines Radioecology s role Ensuring the sustainable development of nuclear activities with respect to man, the environment and future generations

4 Facing a major concern 1950s-1990s - Four decades of growth for Radioecology in parallel to nuclear industry development Start 2000s Drastic reduction in some countries (USA), fragmentation or even abandon in Europe some argued that everything is known and risk mastered Meanwhile Ongoing large geographical redistribution of new nuclear facilities around the world, often with no/limited expertise to deal with environmental risk Accidents cannot be precluded When radioactive contamination spreads, it is not expected to be confined to the nuclearized countries territories only Wordlwide expertise must be maintained to have the operational capacity of facing risk

5 Is everything known? Obviously not..., as interpretations still diverge...

6 Why no consensus on ecological impact? Radioecology supporting man radioprotection is largely advanced (transfers) Radioecology supporting environmental protection (effects on populations of fauna and flora) only starts to be addressed at the right level (ecosystem)

7 Field/lab communities look at different objects, use different inference strategies Biological impact of radiation (today for man, biota) Nested system (homeostatic stability) Ecological impact of radiation (tomorrow for ecosystems) Network of species interactions (submitted to abiotic variability) Producers Consumers Molecules Organs Individual Organisms Pop. 1 Ecosystem Pop. A External abiotic environment (air water - soil/sediment) Pop. α Decomposers

8 Ecosystem science is needed to meet environmental protection objectives Biological impact of radiation (today for man, biota) Nested system (homeostatic stability) Ecological impact of radiation (tomorrow for ecosystems) Objectives of Network of species interactions protection are (submitted to abiotic variability) here Producers Consumers Molecules Organs Individual Organisms Pop. 1 Pop. A External abiotic environment (air water - soil/sediment) Pop. α Decomposers

9 works at strengthening the Radioecology community A non-political, non-profit Knowing Society dedicated to the worldwide development of Radioecology Founded in the 70s as an International Association (registered in Belgium) More than 1500 registered members (624 active members), worldwide (68 countries) Works essentially as a Think Tank (not a funding agency) Countries > 10 members

10 IUR promotes networking To liaise all radioecological outputs with other relevant international organizations, whether focused on science, operational radioecology, or regulation for radiation protection Wordlwide expertise must be maintained to have the operational capacity of facing risk Signature of a number of Memoranda of Understanding (USA -> NCoRE) Launch of the Forum for appropriate worldwide harmonization of networks activities (liaison with UNSCEAR, IAEA, ICRP, )

11 IUR promotes information, publication,... To perpetuate and strengthen its 38 years old network of scientists and professionals for the benefit of all members and civil society (Website:

12 IUR promotes teaching and training 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 Only one University Master in Radioecology left (based in Europe with particular involvement of Norway and France) The oldest University degree in Radioecology was based in USA!! Nothing is left, although nuclear activities in USA continue to go on IUR sponsors students for travels/works/participation in conferences/ workshops/summer schools/field work Training the future generation of radioecologists is crucial to ensure sustainable expertise

13 IUR promotes brainstorming Task Groups to promote scientific innovation, identify research priorities and stimulate the co-construction of international programs, sharing resources and research infrastructures

14 IUR promotes brainstorming Transfers In abiotic compartments Within the human food chain Within biota trophic networks ATMOPHERE Effects (On man) On biota, ecosystems Life support Services AXE 2 STOCKAGE DECHETS ECOSYSTEM Fauna Releases (normal, accidental) TNORMs Source term Speciation, mobility, bioavailability BIOSPHERE Risk assessment Human risk assessment Ecological risk assessment Tracer studies Flora Biogeochemical cycles, streams, run-off Waste in deep geological repository GEOSPHERE Scientific approaches Experimental designs, models, field investigations

15 IUR promotes a strategic evolution towards building an ecocentric vision for radioecology Anthropocentric Biocentric Ecocentric Long historical domination of radionuclides transfer to support human radioprotection purposes Air Soil Sediment PLANTS Environment Sources Man ANIMALS Water

16 IUR builds an ecocentric vision for radioecology Anthropocentric Biocentric Ecocentric Move to effects on animals and plants: Current «Reference organism approach» for risk assessment (protection at individual organism level) Air A big mismatch: Sources Because the protection goals sit at population and ecosystem levels Soil Sediment PLANTS Environment ANIMALS Water Man

17 IUR builds an ecocentric vision for radioecology Anthropocentric Biocentric Ecocentric Focus on effects on ecosystems to support real ecological risk assessment Oxygen Biomass Water PRODUCERS CONSUMERS Including species interactions that provide ecosystem services and life support functions Minerals Water CO 2 DECOMPOSERS Biomass Waste CO 2 Man

18 Radioecology needs to address ecosystem health to achieve environmental protection Life complexity (biodiversity and advanced species like man) has emerged through ecosystems featuring interactions between species that are essential Effects on individuals cannot be extrapolated to populations and ecosystems (species interactions lacking) No species can survive in isolation from others (except chemiotrophic microorganisms ) Environmental protection most usually means protection of ecosystems and their functionalities Ecosystem science is central to designing the required ecosystem approaches

19 Thank you for your attention Questions?