Overview

On a planet grappling with climate change, biodiversity loss and mounting pollution, a set of technologies often associated with power generation and medicine is being applied in pragmatic ways to monitor, protect and restore environmental systems. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its partners highlight six principal domains where nuclear science and technology — particularly stable and radioactive isotope techniques, radiation processing and nuclear power infrastructure — contribute to environmental protection. These contributions range from tracing pollutants and managing water to pest control and remediation of contaminated sites.

Background and context

Nuclear techniques are distinct from nuclear weapons and are regulated under international safeguards, safety standards and oversight frameworks administered or supported by institutions such as the IAEA. Over the past several decades, applications of isotopes and radiation have been integrated into environmental science, agriculture and industry.

In 2022–2023, international organizations including the IAEA, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized the peaceful uses of nuclear technology for public benefit. The IAEA publishes case studies and technical guidance demonstrating how isotopic tools provide unique insights into environmental processes that cannot be obtained as effectively by conventional methods. See the IAEA news summary on the topic: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/six-ways-nuclear-science-and-technology-help-protect-the-environment.

At the same time, the use of nuclear tools carries legitimate concerns — safety, radioactive waste management, public acceptance and regulatory oversight — that shape how and when these techniques are deployed. Regulatory frameworks, safety standards and international cooperation are essential components in ensuring benefits while managing risks. The IAEA provides safety standards and supports member states in implementing measures for safe and secure applications: https://www.iaea.org/resources/safety-standards.

Six ways nuclear science and technology contribute to environmental protection

1. Environmental monitoring and pollution tracing with isotopes

Isotopic techniques use natural variations or introduced tracers to identify the source, age and fate of contaminants in ecosystems. Stable isotopes (for example, of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen) and radioactive isotopes (such as tritium or radiocarbon) can reveal whether a pollutant originates from agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, fossil fuel combustion or other pathways.

These methods are especially valuable where conventional monitoring cannot separate multiple sources. For example, distinguishing nitrate from synthetic fertilizer, manure or septic systems in groundwater often requires nitrogen and oxygen isotope analysis. Isotope hydrology — the application of isotopes to understand groundwater recharge, flow and interaction with surface water — has been instrumental in mapping aquifer vulnerability and informing management decisions.

According to IAEA resources, isotope hydrology projects have assisted water managers in more than a hundred countries by clarifying recharge rates and the renewal potential of groundwater resources (https://www.iaea.org/topics/water-resources).

"Isotope techniques give us a fingerprint of environmental processes that are otherwise invisible," said Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA. "They allow policymakers to target interventions and protect resources such as groundwater with scientific precision."

2. Sustainable water management

Water scarcity and contamination are among the most pressing environmental issues globally. Nuclear techniques support water resource management in several ways: determining groundwater recharge and age, estimating evaporation and transpiration, and tracing the movement of pollutants through complex hydrological systems.

For example, combining tritium and stable isotope measurements can date recent groundwater, informing managers whether a well is drawing on renewable water or on fossil groundwater that would not be quickly replenished. These data guide decisions about withdrawal limits, recharge protection and infrastructure planning.

The IAEA’s Water Availability Enhancement (WAE) Programme and related isotope hydrology initiatives provide training, laboratory support and technical cooperation to help countries apply these methods. The FAO and IAEA also collaborate on water-efficient agriculture, using isotopic tools to refine irrigation strategies and reduce water waste (https://www.iaea.org/services/technical-cooperation).

3. Agricultural improvements and food safety

Nuclear techniques assist agriculture in two main areas: improving crop productivity and ensuring food safety. Radiation is used for food irradiation — a well-established process endorsed by WHO and FAO when properly regulated — to reduce pathogens and extend shelf life, potentially reducing food loss and waste. Irradiation does not make food radioactive; it exposes packaged food to controlled doses of ionizing radiation to inactivate bacteria, parasites and insects (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-irradiation).

Isotope and radiation techniques are also used to optimize fertilizer use and irrigation. By tracing nutrient cycles with isotopic markers scientists can quantify plant uptake efficiencies and losses to the environment, enabling targeted fertilization that lowers agricultural runoff and eutrophication in water bodies.

Research supported by the IAEA and FAO shows that crop breeding techniques incorporating mutation induction using radiation have produced varieties with improved yields, stress tolerance and disease resistance. These techniques are subject to national biosafety and crop registration processes identical to conventional breeding outputs.

"When applied under proper safeguards and regulatory frameworks, isotope and radiation techniques help reduce environmental pressures from agriculture and improve food security," said a senior scientist at the FAO/IAEA Joint Division. "They are tools in an integrated approach to sustainable farming."

4. Pest management: the sterile insect technique (SIT)

The sterile insect technique (SIT) uses radiation to sterilize mass-reared male insects that are then released to mate with wild females, reducing population growth without pesticides. SIT has been used successfully against species such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, tsetse flies and some moth species. The method is species-specific and can dramatically reduce pesticide use, with benefits to biodiversity and human health.

SIT programs typically require integration with monitoring, traps and area-wide suppression strategies. The IAEA and FAO have supported SIT deployments in dozens of countries, particularly where agriculture is threatened by invasive pests. For example, coordinated SIT releases have enabled eradication or control of invasive fruit fly species in island ecosystems and protected valuable crops from destructive outbreaks (https://www.iaea.org/topics/sterile-insect-technique).

Beyond agriculture, SIT has been piloted for vectors of human disease in integrated vector management programs, although public health applications require careful assessment of efficacy and community acceptance.

5. Site remediation and pollution abatement

Nuclear and nuclear-derived techniques contribute to remediation of contaminated sites. Radioisotope tracers can map subsurface contaminant plumes and inform targeted cleanup strategies. Radiation processing has industrial uses in treating wastewater and sludge, breaking down recalcitrant organic pollutants or pathogens that are otherwise difficult to manage chemically.

For legacy industrial pollution, isotopic fingerprinting helps separate historical contamination from recent inputs, a critical distinction for remediation prioritization and liability assessment. In coastal and marine environments, radionuclide tracers have been used to study sediment transport, erosion and deposition patterns that affect pollutant redistribution.

These applications are conducted with strict controls to prevent dissemination of radioactive material. Regulatory bodies and international guidance ensure that active use of radioisotopes for remediation meets safety and environmental protection standards.

6. Supporting climate mitigation through low-carbon electricity

Nuclear power is one of several low-carbon electricity generation technologies available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Operational nuclear plants have historically produced large amounts of continuous, low-carbon baseload electricity. According to the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), nuclear energy supplied roughly 10–11% of global electricity in recent years, helping avoid billions of tonnes of CO2 emissions when compared to fossil-fuel alternatives (https://www.iaea.org/resources/databases/pris).

Policymakers consider nuclear energy alongside renewables and energy efficiency measures when designing decarbonization pathways. Nuclear energy’s role varies by country depending on economics, resource availability, grid flexibility needs, and social acceptance. Small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactor designs are being explored by some governments as potential tools to decarbonize heat-intensive industries and provide reliable electricity that complements variable renewable generation.

"Nuclear energy, when deployed with stringent safety and non-proliferation measures, can contribute to national decarbonization targets by providing large-scale low-carbon electricity and heat," said an energy policy analyst at an international research institute. "It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it remains part of the toolkit in many national strategies."

Evidence and data supporting these applications

Multiple peer-reviewed studies and international agency assessments document the effectiveness of the techniques outlined above. Examples include:

• Isotope hydrology studies that delineate groundwater ages and recharge rates, informing sustainable yield estimates for aquifers (see IAEA water resources materials: https://www.iaea.org/topics/water-resources).


• SIT programs led by the IAEA/FAO that have reduced pesticide use and allowed export markets to open after eradication of fruit fly incursions (https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases).


• Food irradiation guidelines and safety reviews from WHO and FAO demonstrating pathogen reduction and shelf-life extension for certain commodities (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-irradiation).


• Life-cycle assessments comparing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity systems, which show nuclear as a low-carbon electricity source in operational phases, while noting the importance of mining, construction and decommissioning impacts in overall evaluations (see IPCC and IEA reports).

Quantitative outcomes depend on context. For instance, the degree to which isotopic tracing improves water management hinges on data interpretation, monitoring density and follow-through in policy. Similarly, the climate benefits of nuclear energy depend on build rates, capacity factors, and the counterfactual energy mix in a given country.

Limitations, risks and governance

While nuclear techniques provide valuable environmental tools, they come with limitations and responsibilities:

• Radioactive waste and byproducts: Applications using radionuclides require management of radioactive materials and waste in line with national regulation and IAEA safety standards.


• Public perception and social acceptance: The association of nuclear terminology with weapons or accidents can create resistance to beneficial applications like irradiation or SIT; transparent communication and community engagement are essential.


• Cost and technical capacity: Some techniques require specialized laboratories, trained personnel and infrastructure, potentially limiting access in low-income settings without international cooperation.


• Regulatory and non-proliferation safeguards: The peaceful use of nuclear technology must operate within non-proliferation and safety frameworks to prevent misuse.

International cooperation organizations such as the IAEA, FAO, WHO and regional bodies aim to mitigate these risks by providing technical assistance, training, safety guidance and oversight. The IAEA’s technical cooperation programmes support member states in establishing safe facilities, laboratory networks and scientific capacity (https://www.iaea.org/services/technical-cooperation).

Case studies and examples

Groundwater management in arid regions

Isotope hydrology has informed groundwater extraction policies in arid regions where fossil aquifers are tapped for agriculture. By quantifying recharge rates and groundwater age, policymakers have adjusted pumping limits and prioritised recharge protection. In several countries, isotope data prompted revisions to well licensing and agricultural zoning.

Eradication of invasive pests

Coordinated SIT campaigns, often supported by the IAEA and FAO, have successfully controlled or eradicated certain invasive insect populations on islands and in agricultural zones, reducing reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides and restoring market access for affected crops.

Food safety and postharvest loss reduction

Food irradiation facilities, where implemented with clear regulation, have been used to reduce postharvest losses in spices, dried fruits and some tropical staples, thereby lowering pressure to expand agricultural land and reducing related biodiversity loss.

Expert perspectives

"Nuclear techniques are indispensable scientific tools for understanding complex environmental processes," said Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA. "Our role is to ensure these tools are used safely and benefit sustainable development goals worldwide."

"Applied properly, isotope techniques can transform water resource management by providing definitive evidence on resource renewability," said an independent water resources scientist familiar with IAEA programmes. "Decision-makers need credible data to avoid irreversible depletion of critical aquifers."

These perspectives reflect a consensus among many environmental scientists that nuclear-derived methods are complementary tools rather than substitutes for broader environmental policy, regulatory reform and community-based management approaches.

Policy implications

Governments and international organizations considering nuclear techniques for environmental protection should weigh several policy implications:

• Invest in institutional capacity and laboratory networks to ensure data quality and long-term monitoring.


• Develop and maintain robust safety, waste management and regulatory frameworks consistent with IAEA standards.


• Engage stakeholders early to address public concerns and build trust through transparency and community involvement.


• Integrate nuclear techniques into multi-disciplinary approaches that combine ecological, social and economic considerations.

When these elements are present, nuclear science and technology can provide precise tools that improve environmental policy outcomes and optimize resource allocation.

Conclusion

Nuclear science and technology, when used under rigorous safety and governance frameworks, contribute to environmental protection in multiple, concrete ways: they enable precise monitoring and tracing of pollutants; support sustainable water and agricultural management; offer species-specific pest control through the sterile insect technique; assist in targeted site remediation; and, in the form of nuclear power, provide a low-carbon electricity option that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These benefits are context-dependent and require skilled implementation, public engagement and compliance with international safety and non-proliferation standards. As nations tackle interlinked challenges of climate change, food security and biodiversity loss, nuclear-derived tools are likely to remain part of a diverse portfolio of scientific and technological responses, provided their use is transparent, regulated and integrated with broader environmental policy.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and does not represent investment or legal advice.