Publication Laka-library:
Enable participation. A vision on public participation in decision-making on long-term radioactive waste management
| Author | Rathenau Instituut |
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1-01-4-10-27.pdf |
| Date | October 2015 |
| Classification | 1.01.4.10/27 (WASTE - GENERAL) |
| Remarks | Nederlands: "Bouwstenen voor participatie" 1.01.4.10/32 |
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From the publication:
Enabling participation A vision on public participation in decision-making about long-term radioactive waste management Annick de Vries Arnoud van Waes Rinie van Est Barend van der Meulen Frans Brom Rathenau Instituut Foreword The Netherlands faces a challenge. A permanent solution must ultimately be found for disposal of the radioactive waste produced in the country, which is currently placed in safe temporary storage by the Central Organization for Radioactive Waste (COVRA). Effective and safe management is essential: high-level radioactive waste remains harmful for hundreds of thousands of years, with serious potential implications for people and the environment. In the time that radioactive waste remains hazardous, many generations of people will come and go, nuclear physicists will continue to develop new technologies, international boundaries will change or disappear and geopolitical tensions will remain as unpredictable as ever. Scientists have been investigating ways of safely managing radioactive waste for several decades. Decision-making about radioactive waste management is characterized by technical uncertainties, public concerns, political preferences and international influences. EU member states have agreed1 to submit national programmes for decision-making about radioactive waste to the European Commission by August 2015. Each country's national programme is to include information setting out how the public will be given the opportunity to participate in the decision- making process. But at what stage should the public be involved? And who is 'the public' anyway? The Rathenau Institute studies developments in technology and highlights their implications for society and for policy. Through dialogue regarding social and technological developments, it is possible to build up a picture of the concerns and expectations of the public and stakeholders, and to identify the policy options that are likely to receive support. Public participation is therefore an important theme of the Rathenau Institute's work programme for 2015-2016.