Nadja Zeleznik presented NTW at the joint ICTP-IAEA Workshop on Environmental Mapping: Mobilising Trust in Measurements and Engaging Scientific Citizenry which took place three weeks in March 2017 at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy.
The workshop was intended as a hands-on activity that provides an opportunity for participants to construct, test and use their own environmental radiation sensor. Participants develop skills in the use of open-source hardware and software tools and develop geographical information system (GIS) maps. Throughout the workshop participants discussed with decision makers, leading technology thinkers, scientists and journalists on issues surrounding the collection and use of quantitative and qualitative information in the public domain and the powerful role an active informed citizen can have in society.
The presentation of NTW made by Nadja Zeleznik provides information on the reasons why a whatchdog organisation was formed, the main activities of NTW and the principles we adopted for our work. The interest from participants and responses show that there is still lack of awareness on what transparency in nuclear projects means, what kind of international and national legal provisions exist and how they are implemented in practice. Participants, coming from 26 countries around the world, agreed that there should be more communication, public participation and justice in environmental issues as mentioned in the Aarhus convention, since open society needs to be aware, engaged and protected.