Fukushima Ocean Impacts Symposium

Exploring the impacts of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants on the Ocean

Fukushima Ocean Impacts Symposium
Exploring the impacts of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants on the Ocean
November 12-13, 2012 • University of Tokyo
The goal of the science symposium is to present a scientific review of what we know and don’t know about contaminants released at Fukushima, their fate in the ocean, and their potential to impact marine ecosystems and human health. The symposium will include wide-ranging discussion of risk assessments, economic impacts, policy implications, and importantly, how this information is communicated to the public.

An invited group of 80 to100 international participants, with a mix of scientists, policy makers and media/communications experts, will explore these issues through talks by invited speakers, panel discussions, poster session, and ample open discussion (see agenda). Video of the meeting (in English) will be made available in a timely manner to those that cannot attend the symposium.

We will model the symposium on a successful conference held at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in 2007 to discuss the controversial topic of ocean iron fertilization as a means for geo-engineering Earth’s climate. Although land-based studies and non-nuclear impacts of the tsunami may be discussed, they are not the focus of the Symposium, nor is this intended to be a meeting that assign blame or recommends policies for or against nuclear power. Instead, we hope to broadly assess the consequences of the Fukushima NPPs on the oceans, to learn from our science, and compare responses.

Last updated: August 28, 2012