Recognizing WSIS Impacts

WTDC RESOLUTION 62 (Hyderabad, 2010)

Measurement concerns related to human exposure to electromagnetic fields

The World Telecommunication Development Conference (Hyderabad, 2010),

• recalling
  • Resolution 72 (Johannesburg, 2008) of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly, on measurement concerns related to human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), which calls for close cooperation with the Directors of the other two Bureaux – Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and Radiocommunication Bureau (BR) – to implement the resolution in view of its importance to developing countries,
• considering
  • a) that there is a pressing need for information on the potential effects of human exposure to EMF in order to protect humans from such effects;
  • b) that there are a number of eminent international bodies involved in establishing measurement methodologies for assessing human exposure to EMF, and these already cooperate with many telecommunication standards bodies, including the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T),
• recognizing
  • a) that some publications and information about EMF effects on health create doubt among the population, in particular in developing countries1, causing these countries to address questions to ITU-T and, currently, to the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D);
  • b) that, in the absence of regulation, people, particularly in developing countries, become more and more doubtful and are increasingly opposing the deployment of radio installations in their neighbourhoods;
  • c) that the cost of the equipment used for assessing human exposure to EMF is very high and difficult for many developing countries to afford;
  • d) that implementing such measurement is essential for many regulatory authorities in developing countries, in order to monitor the limits for human exposure to radio-frequency energy, and that they are called upon to ensure those limits are met in order to license different services,
• resolves to instruct the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau
  • in response to the needs of the developing countries and consistent with the substance of Resolution 72 (Johannesburg, 2008), and in close cooperation with the Director of BR and Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB):
    • 1 to give the necessary priority to this subject and, within the available resources, allocate the necessary funds for expediting execution of this resolution;
    • 2 to ensure that Programme 1 determines the requirements of developing countries and their regulatory authorities (at regional level) in relation to this resolution, contributes to studies on this subject, takes an active part in the work of the relevant ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) and ITU-T study groups, and submits written contributions on the results of its work in this regard, plus any proposals it deems necessary, to ITU-D Study Group 2,
• instructs Study Group 1
  • within the framework of their Questions, to cooperate with ITUT Study Group 5 and ITU-R Study Groups 1, 5 and 6, in order to achieve the following goals:
    • • prepare an annual report on the progress of work in this area in respect of their Questions;
    • • contribute to the organization of any seminars on this subject;
    • • contribute to preparation of the Guide on the use of ITU-T publications on achieving electromagnetic compatibility and safety, and publications relating to measurement methodologies, the need for measurements to be performed by a “Qualified Radio Engineer” and the criteria for a “Qualified Radio Engineer”, and system specifications.