The 57th session of UNSCEAR, originally scheduled to take place in 2009, was postponed from 2009 to 2010 owing to unforeseen circumstances. Owing to flight disruptions caused by ash from the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the session had to be postponed a second time from April to August 2010. It will now take place at the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria from 16 to 20 August 2010. Norman Gentner (Canada) will be Chairman, Wolfgang Weiss (Germany) Vice-Chairman and Mohamed A. Gomaa (Egypt) Rapporteur for the session.
The Committee is scheduled to discuss matters arising from General Assembly resolution 63/89 and resolution 64/85, including its programme of work, and members' support of the Committee's work. The Committee will hold technical discussions on six documents prepared by the secretariat:
The Committee will also elect officers for its fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth sessions.
The 56th session of UNSCEAR took place at the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria from 10 to 18 July 2008. Norman Gentner (Canada) was Chairman, Wolfgang Weiss (Germany) was Vice-Chairman and Mohamed A. Gomaa (Egypt) was Rapporteur.
The Committee discussed matters arising from General Assembly resolution 62/100 of 17 December 2007, including development of a strategic plan and future programme of work. It also held technical discussions on five documents:
The Committee approved a report to the 63rd General Assembly ( A/63/46), which describes the deliberations of the Committee at its fifty-sixth session, the strategic plan and programme of work, and a scientific report discussing sources of radiation exposure, the Chernobyl accident and effects on non-human biota.
The Committee also expressed its views on membership, staffing and financing, which were appended to a report of the Secretary-General on Financial and administrative implications of increased membership of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, staffing of the professional secretariat of the Scientific Committee and methods to ensure sufficient, assured and predictable funding ( A/63/478).
The 55th session of UNSCEAR took place at the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria from 21 to 25 May 2007. Peter Burns (Australia) was Chairman, Norman Gentner (Canada) was Vice-Chairman, and Wolfgang Weiss (Germany) was Rapporteur.
The Committee discussed, provided feedback and comment on drafts of six documents:
It also discussed matters relating to its annual progress report to the General Assembly ( A/62/46), development of a future strategy and programme of work, and financial, management, procedural and other matters.
The 54th session of UNSCEAR took place at the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria from 29 May to 2 June 2006. Peter Burns of Australia was Chairman. Norman Gentner of Canada was Vice-Chairman. Christian Streffer of Germany was Rapporteur.
The Committee approved five documents for publication on:
It provided feedback and comment on drafts of other documents submitted by the Secretariat:
It also discussed matters relating to its annual progress report to the General Assembly ( A/61/46 + Corr.1), its work on assessing the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, and financial, management, procedural and other matters.
During the session, the mayor of Vienna hosted a reception for invited high-level dignitaries, diplomats and scientists to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of UNSCEAR.