 It's become very, very clear that the human health and well-being is closely linked with the health of the environment, which in turn depends on the health of the animals and plants that make up the biodiversity of an area, the ecosystem. Zoonotic diseases and climate change were high on the agenda in Vienna last week, as delegates, scientists and environmentalists gathered for the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual conference, opened by Director-General Raphael Mariano Grossi. UN Messenger of Peace, Jean Goodall, was a keynote speaker at the Scientific Forum, the conference's main site event, which focused on using nuclear science to prepare for zoonotic outbreaks. We've got a window of time where we can try and turn things around, but I don't think it's a very big window and it's closing. We must take action together and we must take action now. Experts from the world's top health bodies came together at the event to discuss the IAEA's Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action Initiative, or Zodiac, launched last year. By the time we detect and characterize an emerging pathogen, it's often too late and we can't continue. But of course, it's not all sad. We're in the cups of a new era. We can change it. We can change the narrative. We heard the Director-General talking about Zodiac. It is one of those multiple initiatives. Simply building on knowledge, technology and skill and capacity building, training, we can overcome. Alongside pandemic preparation, multiple side events to the conference focused on climate change in the lead-up to COP26. Delicates learned how nuclear science and technology can help the world mitigate and adapt to the changing climate, from breeding drought-resistant plants to measuring the exact sources of greenhouse gas emissions to providing low carbon energy. In every scientific-based projection, global decarbonization for 2050 is possible and will be much easier with nuclear energy. In his opening address to the conference, the Director-General also spoke of the IAEA's ability to continue nuclear inspections, an essential component of non-proliferation efforts, despite the pandemic. More than a year ago, when the world was closing down, when air travel was being forbidden, when ports and airports were closed, we said that we would not stop for a single minute. And we did not. Participants at the General Conference, including high-level visitors, also attended side events to learn the science behind the agency's work in non-proliferation and nuclear security. Delicates pledged around $30 million for the agency's Technical Cooperation Fund, which helps member states use nuclear science and technology to meet their development goals. Delicates also voted on important resolutions to further strengthen the IAEA's work.