International cooperation and support in environmental remediation – is there any room for improvement?

The challenges faced by states seeking to implement Environmental Remediation works are many. To this end, the International Atomic Energy Agency attempts to provide assistance and guidance to Member States wherever possible. This review article provides a brief overview of these challenges and highlights the international sources of financial and implementation support discussed at an international conference on the topic in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2009. The conference concluded the importance of institutional structures as a pre-requisite for remediation work, recognized privatization as a useful but limited financing tool for remediation and illustrated the need for better coordination between international funding organizations to reduce overlap and optimization of resources to secure the best outcomes.

► We discuss the mechanisms that are available to finance environmental remediation projects worldwide.
► Without international assistance, remediation projects will not be carried out in many countries.
► For successful implementation of ER projects having in place well established institutional framework is essential.
► Better coordination of international assistance to environmental remediation projects is urgently needed.