April 20, 2026

Prof Jim Smith on the 40th anniversary of Chernobyl

26 April 2026 marked the 40^th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.

Jim Smith has worked for more than 30 years on the environmental consequences of radioactive pollutants in the environment. He was editor and lead author of a major book on the Chernobyl nuclear accident: Chernobyl: Catastrophe and Consequences and has published over 100 papers.

Jim’s current research interests are the long term environmental consequences of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents. He coordinated a project to study the recovery of wildlife in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in the decades after the accident, showing that mammal populations are now similar to those in nature reserves in the region. He also leads the ATOMIK Chernobyl spirits project, a radioactive-free spirit produced from crops in Chernobyl’s abandoned zone where >75% of profits go towards wildlife conservation and supporting communities in the affected areas.

Journalists came to this ‘Expert Encounter’ to hear from one of the leading researchers on Chernobyl and its impacts. He spoke for 15 mins or so, and then journalists put questions to him. 

Speaker:

Prof Jim Smith, Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Portsmouth