UNSCEAR

UNSCEAR, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, is a United Nations body established in 1955 to assess and report on levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Its work covers natural background radiation, medical exposures, occupational doses, and environmental releases from human activities, including fallout from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear accidents. The committee's findings are intended to provide a scientific basis for radiation protection standards and public health decisions.

The committee is composed of a limited number of scientists appointed by UN member states; members serve in a personal capacity and work with support from a UN secretariat. It conducts international reviews of data, organizes expert meetings, and prepares comprehensive assessment reports.

UNSCEAR reports summarize worldwide exposure levels and health effects, including estimates of cancer and hereditary risks, and discuss uncertainties in the evidence. The studies rely on epidemiological data, dosimetric assessments, and descriptions of exposure situations from member states. The results inform radiation protection guidelines and support regulators, international organizations, and researchers.

UNSCEAR collaborates with other UN system organizations, notably the World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and its findings are widely cited by bodies such as the ICRP in formulating dose limits and safety standards. Its publications are publicly available through the United Nations.