Ten years ago today, the Great East Japan Earthquake shook
Its tremors were powerful enough to shift the earth on its axis. At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the equipment reacted just as it was designed to do. It stopped, the control rods were inserted into the reactor core, and the cooling system kicked in. About an hour later, however, a giant tsunami swept across the mainland, overwhelming
Though the ensuing damage caused nuclides to be released into the environment, scientists have found no evidence that this caused radiation-induced health effects.
The accident galvanised the international community. A few days after the tsunami, a team of
As we mark this solemn occasion, I would like to take stock of all that the
Within just a few months of the accident, the
Around the world, operators' engineers analysed their nuclear reactors and made upgrades where necessary. Today, virtually all Member States with nuclear power plants have completed 'stress tests' and many make use of the
We have built a single platform that promotes clear nuclear safety practices for existing sites and those being developed and constructed. Our work has not only led to concrete improvements in the safety of nuclear sites; it has created a sustained and robust global safety culture.
We have developed and improved Safety Standards, norms and guidance. The adoption of the Vienna Declaration brought together all parties of the
An important lesson of Fukushima is that regulators must be strong, independent and adequately resourced.
A robust, normative safety framework with the
I like to say the
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