International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the only international organization established to regulate and monitor nuclear installation. With 144 member states and the active threat of terrorism, the IAEA suffers from a significant increase in workload with insufficient funding.

In 2002, the Nuclear Security Fund was created in the wake of the 9/11 attack. This plausible effort was deemed ineffective since the fund relies on voluntary funding from its member states, according to an article in Nature. With an inadequate annual budget of 15 million Euro (22.5 million USD), this security fund fails to perform its intended function.

Furthermore, the technology used in detecting nuclear threat needs a complete overhaul. While a vast variety of novel technology are available to detect even a trace amount of hazardous materials, IAEA still utilizes analytical instruments that are “often three decades old and have no available spare parts.” This is not to mention the problem with backlogging samples and even difficulty with obtaining a sample from a potential target. With a mere annual budget of 280 million Euro (406 million USD), the agency does not even have adequate funding to purchase the satellite image needed to search for suspicious targets.

Finally, it is necessary for nuclear operators around the world to form a better network of communication and information sharing. An organized discussion would be effective in developing safe and secure practice. The US Nuclear Threat Initiative is an example of such forum.

Many initiatives and changes are needed to improve and reform the IAEA. None of them comes cheap considering the cutting-edge technology and degree of specificity of this field. However, nuclear security is just as important, if not more applicable, than the next source of security threat. A properly funded regulation agency would be the first step towards building a safer and more open community globally.

For more information, see Nuclear security undervalued, Nature

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