The June 1995 IAEA Bulletin edition examines nuclear power, some of its applications, and health and environmental radiological impacts and related initiatives. Nuclear power development is rapid where the demand for electricity runs high. The DECADES project, initiated by the IAEA and other organizations, provides a framework for comparatively assessing electricity options and strategies. Other articles report on an international conference that explored why radiation risks are so commonly misunderstood; review the national and global interest in using nuclear energy in seawater desalination processes and report on recent IAEA studies in the field. The IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory in Monaco is helping the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project assess the radiological picture in the Kara and Barents Seas. Through IAEA co-ordinated research programmes (CRP), nuclear techniques are used in soil and crop research.