NEA Mandates and Structures


Expert Group on Awareness Preservation after Repository Closure (EGAP)

Chair(s): Martin KUNZE, Austria
Benjamin OFFEN, Germany
Secretary:  Morgan PACKER
(morgan.packer@oecd-nea.org)
Member(s):All NEA member countries*
Russia (Suspended*)
*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
Full participant(s): European Commission
Under the NEA Statute
Observer(s)(International Organisation): International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
By agreement
Date of creation:10 September 2020
End of mandate:30 September 2024

Mandate (Document reference):

  • Mandate of the Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management 2020-2022 [NEA/RWM(2019)9/FINAL]
  • A New Initiative on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (IDKM) Terms of Reference [NEA/RWM(2019)8]
  • Summary record of the Kick-Off Meeting of the Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM) [NEA/RWM/IDKM/M(2020)1]
  • Mandate of Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory (RK&M) across Generations – Phase II 2016-108 [NEA/RWM(2016)6/PROV]
  • Sub-Group Reporting to the Parent Committee Document [NEA/CDLM/RWMC(2019)2]
  • Update of the Mandate of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) Following the Creation of the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management [NEA/NE(2017)14]
  • The Information, Data and Knowledge Management Roadmap [forthcoming]
  • Mandate of the Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management 2020-2022 [NEA/RWM(2019)9/FINAL]
  • A New Initiative on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (IDKM) Terms of Reference [NEA/RWM(2019)8]
  • Summary record of the Kick-Off Meeting of the Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM) [NEA/RWM/IDKM/M(2020)1]
  • Mandate of Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory (RK&M) across Generations – Phase II 2016-108 [NEA/RWM(2016)6/PROV]
  • Sub-Group Reporting to the Parent Committee Document [NEA/CDLM/RWMC(2019)2]
  • Update of the Mandate of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) Following the Creation of the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management [NEA/NE(2017)14]
  • The Information, Data and Knowledge Management Roadmap [forthcoming]
  • Mandate of the Expert Group on Awareness Preservation after Repository Closure (EGAP) [NEA/RWM/IDKM(2020)5/FINAL]
  • Mandate of the Expert Group on Awareness Preservation after Repository Closure (EGAP) [NEA/RWM/IDKM(2022)6/FINAL] and [NEA/RWM/IDKM(2022)9/FINAL]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract from Document NEA/RWM/IDKM(2022)6/FINAL

Background

In 2011, the NEA launched the “Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory (RK&M) across Generations” initiative, which lasted until April 2018. This international initiative developed an in-depth understanding on the preservation of RK&M regarding radioactive waste repositories in future societies, as well as a specific methodology to address this issue. The group prepared a RK&M preservation toolbox, spanning a menu of 35 different preservation mechanisms and guidelines on combining and implementing them. New concepts were developed with the Key Information File (KIF) [1] and the Set of Essential Records (SER) [2]. The final report [3] of the RK&M initiative, which integrates all insights and results, can be read as a general guide to the RK&M preservation topic.

The RK&M initiative, therefore, reflects major progress in preserving the awareness of a radioactive waste repository and its associated data, information and knowledge over very long timescales. However, additional work still needs to be carried out through an international RK&M/awareness preservation network, that functions as an interactive platform to continue to develop ideas, establish collaborations, and share findings related to putting previous learning into practice (for example, partnerships with other memory programmes and institutions, exchanging experiences with participatory monitoring initiatives, with issuing a KIF, and with public outreach).

Scope

The EGAP is concerned with the task of awareness preservation of a nuclear repository and related information during the timescales after the deposition has ended, as well as when awareness is no longer self-evident through an ongoing major industrial activity. Whereas the target human generations may be situated relatively far in the future, this requires tasks to be prepared or even implemented by present day and close future generations.

Objectives

In 2020, the Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM) decided to establish a third-level Expert Group on Awareness Preservation After Repository Closure (EGAP). The EGAP will: 

i. explore participatory mechanisms by building an information and discussion platform to facilitate/strengthen cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and experiences on RK&M preservation solutions, with which to reach relevant stakeholders to support functioning participatory processes;

ii. consider further development and implementation of awareness preservation tools in practice, in particular regarding the writing and employment of a KIF; and

iii. perform complementary studies and analyses on the effect of evolving societal factors on awareness preservation approaches, i.e. on specific procedural, technological, societal, cultural or communicative aspects that impact the realisation of awareness preservation.

To support these primary activities, the EGAP will also identify any relevant secondary activities to be pursued.

Working methods

The mode of operation of the EGAP is based upon plenary meetings and an ongoing, project-oriented working programme.

A Bureau consisting of a Chair and one or more Vice-Chairs will co-ordinate and facilitate the work of the EGAP. The Bureau will normally meet once or twice a year, with one meeting normally held in conjunction with the annual EGAP plenary meeting.

Communication within the EGAP will primarily take place through annual plenary meetings. The plenary meeting is devoted to:

  • the exchange of information on recent developments in member countries;
  • in-depth discussions of current developments and topical issues, where additional specialists may also be invited;
  • the identification of main outcomes/insights to be reported to the WP-IDKM; and
  • the discussion and coordination of the working programme, including the evaluation of possible collaboration with other projects in and outside of the NEA, in particular with other expert groups of the WP-IDKM, as well as other sub-groups of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC).

The EGAP will report to the WP-IDKM at the annual meetings of the working party.

Additionally, the EGAP will: (i) identify resources (including funding) and schedules for its activities; and (ii) review the programme of work and its effectiveness.

In fulfilling its mandate, the EGAP will be supported by the staff of the NEA Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning (RWMD). 

Membership

The EGAP is a task-oriented expert group that is composed of a diverse range of experts in the field of RK&M/awareness preservation in RWM, decommissioning and non-related fields from NEA member countries, e.g. engineers and scientists in radioactive waste management organisations (RWMOs), decommissioning and other technical domains involved with data and information management, knowledge managers and social scientists involved in knowledge management on extended timescales (hundreds of years).

Interactions

The work of the EGAP will be complementary to that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission (EC). As such, the group will continue to co-operate with its relevant counterparts and provide relevant input to the activities of these institutions, as appropriate.

Through the RWMC and Secretariat, the EGAP will co-operate with the NEA standing technical committees and their subsidiary bodies when relevant, in particular those of the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM) to identify (i) interfaces between the groups and (ii) overlaps and common issues. It may also collaborate with the NEA Data Bank.

In particular, the EGAP will take into account the following NEA reports and publications:

Deliverables

The EGAP will produce appropriate reports, presentations and workshops with the support of the Secretariat.

 

[1] As described in the NEA publication Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory across Generations: Developing a Key Information File for a Radioactive Waste Repository” [NEA publication 7377].

[2] As described in the NEA Publication Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory (RK&M) across Generations: Compiling a Set of Essential Records for a Radioactive Waste Repository” [NEA publication 7423].

[3] As described in the NEA publication Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory across Generations: Final Report” [NEA publication 7421].