The 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster offered a timely opportunity for an expert assessment of the current situation and suggestions for approaches to managing the information associated with the site and surrounding contaminated territories.
The great quantity of data coming from the contaminated region was and is very difficult to use without he aid of modern information technologies, especially Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS). Application of these technologies, and related expertise, became crucial to the region's economic recovery and sustainability planning. Given the real possibility of a similar accident at nuclear facilities elsewhere around the world, the development of recovery strategies based on experience gained at Chernobyl, using modern scientific methods and technologies, will be invaluable in the future. The presentations and discussion reported in the book have led to some key conclusions. Image maps derived from satellite imagery are the most economical, up to date and readily available basis for Chernobyl-related applications, as well as for other future applications. The study of soil-plant transfer of radionuclides afforded comparatively much more reliable data. GIS in association with adequate knowledge is a valuable tool in decision making and modelling of contaminated areas and objects.

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Editor's preface; J. Kolejka. Situation Assessment for Mitigation Activities: Tools for Building Geographic Knowledge. From Geodata to Geoinformation to Geoknowledge? C. Siegel, S. Palko. The Dnieper River Basin Challenge: Local and International Response to an Environmental and Human Health Crisis; D. Poletto, K. Babcock. Providing Information in Relation to Chernobyl and the Role of GIS; P.G. de Nooijer, V. Chabanyuk. The Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident: First Results in the Radioecology Project of the French-German Initiative; G. Deville-Cavelin, et al. Development of the Data Base: Nuclear Fuel And Radioactive Waste, Environmental Impact, and Radiological Situation in Chernobyl NPP 4th Block 'Shelter'; A. Borovoi, et al. From Image Maps to Decision Making; S. Palko, C. Siegel. The Chernobyl Sarcophagus Project of the German-French Initiative; G. Pretzch, et al. Radon Risk Assessment in GIS; V. Voenílek. The Run-Off in Natural and Agricultural Environments; V. Popov. Waste Dumps Around Chornobyl Power Plant: Actual State and Future; E. Sobotovisch, et al. The Problem of Waste: Searching for GIS Solution; J. Kolejka, et al. Countermeasures on Natural and Agricultural Areas After Chernobyl Accident; I. Bogdevitch, et al.