UC Scientist To Serve On United Nations Panel

A University of Canterbury academic has been appointed to a United Nations expert panel examining the physical effects and social impact of nuclear war.

Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), is the only New Zealand representative on the independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the 21-member expert panel this week, saying it would examine the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war.

The panel is tasked with publishing a comprehensive report, making key conclusions, and identifying areas requiring future research.

Associate Professor Revell was nominated by the Royal Society Te Apārangi and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the panel because of her expertise in atmospheric chemistry, climate modelling, and recent research into the environmental consequences of a rapidly intensifying rocket launch industry.

She is also a member of the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, which assesses the effects of ozone depletion and UV radiation on life on Earth.

“Obviously we live in uncertain geopolitical times and it’s unnerving that research into the consequences of nuclear war is relevant again, four decades since the United Nations last studied its effects,” she says. “I’m honoured to serve on this panel which I believe will contribute to a greater understanding of the far-reaching consequences of this kind of event.”

A report prepared by the scientific panel will be considered by the United Nations General Assembly in 2027.

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