The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) was set up by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1955. Twenty-one states are designated to provide scientists to serve as members of the committee which holds formal meetings (sessions) annually and submits a report to the General Assembly. The organisation has no power to set radiation standards nor to make recommendations in regard to nuclear testing. It was established solely to "define precisely the present exposure of the population of the world to ionizing radiation". A small secretariat, located in Vienna and functionally linked to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organizes the annual sessions and manages the preparation of documents for the committee's scrutiny.
UNSCEAR issues major public reports on Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation from time to time. As of 2017, there have been 28 major publications from 1958 to 2017. The reports are all available from the UNSCEAR website. These works are very highly regarded as sources of authoritative information and are used throughout the world as a scientific basis for evaluation of radiation risk. The publications review studies undertaken separately from a range of sources. Reports from UN member states and other international organisations on data from survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Chernobyl disaster, accidental, occupational, and medical exposure to ionizing radiation.
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Originally, in 1955, India and the Soviet Union wanted to add several neutral and communist states, such as mainland China. Eventually a compromise with the US was made and Argentina, Belgium, Egypt and Mexico were permitted to join. The organisation was charged with collecting all available data on the effects of "ionising radiation upon man and his environment". (James J. Wadsworth - American representative to the General Assembly).
The committee was originally based in the Secretariat Building in New York City, but moved to the United Nations Office at Vienna in 1974.
The Secretaries of the Committee have been:
UNSCEAR has published 20 major reports. The latest is the 2010 Summary Report (14 pages), while the last full report was the 2008 report Vol. I and Vol. II with scientific annexes (A to E).
"UNSCEAR 2008 REPORT Vol.I"[3] main report and 2 scientific annexes
"UNSCEAR 2008 REPORT Vol.II" 3 scientific annexes
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) itemized type of exposures and reported exposure rate of each segment.