 Monaco, perched on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Among the luxury yachts is this place, the Environment Laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA. We build the capacity of our member states to both understand the environment and to manage the environment through knowledge derived from the application of nuclear science. So we bring people to our laboratories, we train them, but then we also strive to help those scientists to make the link to the policy agenda, to take that science that they've derived, that increased knowledge, and make it relevant to policy makers. Monaco has a long history of marine protection. In 1906, Prince Albert I, a dedicated oceanographer, founded the Principalities Oceanographic Institute. In the 1960s, Prince Rainier III invited the IAEA to set up a laboratory within the Oceanographic Museum. As the work of the laboratories increased, a new, bigger location was found on the waterfront. The current Monaco, Prince Albert II, is also an active supporter of the work of these IAEA laboratories. Research done there is absolutely tremendous and we are very proud and honored to have this close partnership and it's only going to, I think, be able to develop even further in the future. Our natural environment provides us with so much, yet we're ruining it by destroying habitats and biodiversity, polluting our skies, rivers, seas and soil. We're impacting our planet in ways we still don't fully understand and risking the foundations on which our future depends. There are around 50 scientists, technicians and support staff from over 20 countries at the IAEA's environment laboratories in Monaco. The focus of their work is to assist IAEA member states in understanding coastal and marine processes and the negative effects of human activity. They do this by using nuclear techniques. Radioactive substances come from a variety of sources. They can be man-made or occur naturally. Some of these substances reach our oceans. The Radiometric Laboratory monitors radionuclides in samples taken from the sea and coastlines. Scientists can trace where these radioactive substances came from and where they're heading. They can measure whether they're above the permitted levels and concentrations. At the Radioecology Laboratory, scientists study the impact of pollution on marine life, including seafood. Contaminants in the sea, both radioactive and non-radioactive, can be absorbed by fish. These make their way up the food chain where they pose a risk to human health. Some algae species produce toxins that can accumulate in seafood products. Tests are being developed that can quickly determine how much toxin is present. Ocean acidification is also being studied here. An increasing amount of CO2 emissions are being taken up by the oceans. Once in the water, this carbon dioxide is transformed into acid. This affects the ability of marine life to absorb calcium for their shells and skeletons. Many organic and inorganic pollutants, generated from industrial, agricultural and urban activities, eventually make their way into the oceans. At the Marine Environmental Studies Laboratory, experts extract compounds from sea samples. Using analytical techniques, they can identify individual contaminants and, in some circumstances, even determine where they were produced. Such information can help countries take the necessary action to limit the damage and prevent the pollution from happening again. There's no question that the world's oceans are facing some serious threats. Pollution, ocean acidification, overfishing, the list goes on. It's easy to become despondent and think, oh, it's all too hard. But I have great faith in the international community. I have faith in the capacity of our member states to actively address the problems. Far away from the sea, at Cybersdorf in Austria, a fourth laboratory studies pollution in the terrestrial environment. Damage can occur by accident or from inappropriate farming or industrial practices. The impact is often seen far away from the source. The Terrestrial Environment Laboratory helps IAEA member states to use nuclear techniques to identify the pollutants, limit their spread and the damage they can cause. An important role of the Environment Laboratories in both Monaco and Austria is the development of certified reference materials. These are used by institutes worldwide as a reference for research and monitoring. And to determine whether their equipment is set properly and working correctly. The reference materials are key to making accurate and informed decisions that relate to the protection of the natural environment. Our planet is over four billion years old. But in just the last 150 years, we've managed to cause extensive damage. If we continue like this, we're threatening the existence of natural ecosystems that provide billions of people with food and income. Fresh water, recreation and pleasure. The work of these laboratories alone isn't enough to save our planet from further damage. But the research and training conducted here can provide a step in the right direction.