Implementing Public Participation Approaches in Radioactive Waste Disposal (IPPA)

Framework: FP7 — Euratom
Programme: Nuclear fission and radiation protection
Theme: Radioactive waste management
Destination: Management of Ultimate Radioactive Waste
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Czechia,Czechia,United Kingdom,Finland,Germany,Slovakia,Slovakia,France,Poland,Poland,Slovenia,Romania,Hungary,Bulgaria,Sweden,Romania
Call:  (FP7-Fission-2010, 2010)
Start date: 2011-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2398335.2
EU funding (EUR): 1599988.0
Participants: 16
Project status: CLOSED

The focus of IPPA is on the establishment of arenas where different stakeholders can move forward together to increase their understanding of the issues involved in radioactive waste disposal and of their respective views. The focus is on implementation in some central and eastern European countries. The overall structure is in one end to take stock of existing research results and other experiences for implementation, and in the other end to evaluate to provide feedback to knowledge and research. The framework of the “Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform” (IGD-TP) can be a suitable forum in which to investigate these issues further, therefore emphasis is given to linking IPPA results to the development of the platform. Work Package 1 provides participants with information and overview of theoretical achievements and practical experiences both from research and national programmes that should be valuable when organizing activities and arenas for participation and transparency. An information package on basic approaches is produced for that purpose. In Work Package 2, the RISCOM Model and other approaches to public involvement are implemented in five radioactive waste management (rwm) programmes in Central and Eastern European countries. The practical implementation activities will vary between countries, as the status of the programmes, other national and local factors and issues of debate differ. In Work Package 3, certain issues of common interest for all countries and for groups of countries will be investigated - Cross-border issues (such as Environmental Impact Assessment and the Espoo Convention), The regional repository option and application of the Aarhus Convention. The ARGONA empirical data for analysing how negotiations on compensation can be implemented at the local level and the study ended in concrete recommendations for this. In Work Package 4, these and other issues will be further examined and communicated with municipalities in participating countries. In Work Package 5 a review will be made of activities in Work Package 2 in order to provide feedback to these activities and also to the European knowledge base for processes of participation and transparency. The dissemination of IPPA approaches and results will take place in Work Package 6. A project website will be developed and maintained, and an End Users Conferences will be organized towards the end of project.

Keywords: transparency,participation,implementation,riscom,added value,making difference,site selection,dialogue,social challenges