International Socio-Technical Challenges for implementing geological disposal (InSOTEC) (completed)

This project aims to investigate the discussions surrounding geological disposal of radioactive waste to facilitate a dialogue between politicians, scientists and the general public.

About the project

The project aims to identify some of the key remaining social and political challenges regarding the implementation and geological disposal of radioactive waste, and investigating in depth the relationship between the social challenges and the technological challenges (e.g the potential technical implications of social requirements).

 

Background

The European Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP) aims at having the first geological disposal facilities in safe operation in Europe by 2025.

Today there are more than 30 technology platforms under construction and more on the way. They are facilitated by the European Commission, however industry-led and providing a framework for stakeholders to shape priorities regarding strategic issues involving development in research and technology and industrial relevance. For more information on the European Technology Platforms, go here (external link).

Although social and political challenges are considered first and foremost to be country-specific, the IGD-TP acknowledges that it remains a major challenge to "devise a proper plan giving all stakeholders the possibility to influence the process without creating deadlocks and to maintain the support at both local and national levels during the many decades needed to site, construct, operate and close the repository". The IDG-TP also recognises the necessity to develop the dialogue with the general public.

You can read more about the IGD-TP here (external link).

Sub-projects:

1. Will identify remaining socio-political challenges and link these to the national contexts (including technical challenges), within which they have been observed

2. Will be dedicated to developing a better understanding of this relationship between social and technical challenges

3. Will address the issue of knowledge management and information exchange

4. Will bring the main findings of the three research strands in WP1, WP2 and WP3 together in a final report which will offer the IGD-TP concrete recommendations on how a social component might be integrated in the platform's activity, to help IGD-TP address socio-technical challenges as a single problem.

5. Supports the other project activity by organising two stakeholder seminars to discuss project progress and provide the researchers with feedback on conclusions from a broad range of perspectives

6. Dedicated to consortium management activitiy. These include the administrative and financial control of the project, the follow-up of progress, and the reporting in EC. Furthermore, this WP deals with the interface between the project and its potential 'end users', through the installation of a Stakeholder Reflection Group.

Financing

The Research Council of Norway (RCN)

Published July 5, 2011 2:02 PM - Last modified May 4, 2018 8:18 AM

Participants

Detailed list of participants