IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria

Transcription

1 I5-TM TECHNICAL MEETING ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria 2 4 September 2013

2 1. BACKGROUND Public acceptance is often identified by Member States of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the biggest obstacle to initiating a nuclear power programme. These countries face the challenging task of designing and implementing successful stakeholder involvement programmes, which often start with a need to communicate first about energy policies and, secondly, to strengthen public understanding of nuclear power, especially its benefits and risks. Countries operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) usually have well-established public information and stakeholder engagement programmes at the facility level. After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, most of them took a pro-active approach and developed initiatives to regain public trust in nuclear power. Several operating countries are also considering expanding their nuclear power programmes and understand that stakeholder engagement is key to a successful completion of new NPP projects. As the IAEA Director General mentioned in a recent speech: Winning back confidence in nuclear power after Fukushima Daiichi will take time. It will also require an unwavering commitment to safety, as well as openness and transparency by operators, regulators and governments. Surveys indicate that public support for nuclear power in some countries has even rebounded recently after a first significant decrease in reaction to the Fukushima accident, and it would be useful to share experiences from these countries. A successful stakeholder involvement programme begins by listening to and addressing stakeholders concerns, then engaging those stakeholders, providing timely information openly and building trust. Recently, many countries have asked the IAEA to provide real life examples of success stories and failures related to public information and stakeholder engagement in the context of the planning and implementation of new nuclear power programmes and projects. 2. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the meeting are to: Discuss strategies for Member States to foster public acceptance for initiating or expanding a nuclear power programme; 3. PARTICIPATION Share current experiences in stakeholder engagement at the national and local levels; Develop content for an IAEA Technical Document to provide operational guidance on stakeholder engagement and public information for new nuclear power programmes and projects (the proposed publication will include a model stakeholder involvement programme including strategy, plan and implementation as a possible starting point for countries and organizations that are seeking to develop their own programmes, and will also provide real-life examples, success stories and failures to illustrate specific options and pitfalls); and Share with the participants a new e-learning module on stakeholder involvement that the IAEA will launch prior to the meeting. Targeted participants are executives from government ministries, nuclear energy programme implementing organizations or utilities that are considering, planning or implementing new nuclear power projects. The focus is on senior management, specifically directors, chief executive officers, as well as specialists in communications, marketing and corporate social responsibility. The meeting is also open to experts from regulatory bodies, trade organizations, nuclear societies, or other institutions involved in public information on nuclear power. Participants will be invited to present their national or organizational experience and share material with regard to the establishment and/or functioning of stakeholder engagement and public communication. 2

3 4. TOPICS AND FORMAT OF THE MEETING The meeting will consist of a series of presentations, lectures, associated break-out sessions and discussions focusing on: How to start a stakeholder engagement programme, including strategic considerations, the possible contents of a model programme, and the timing of different activities; Success stories and failures related to: o How Member States foster public acceptance; o How to approach the Fukushima/Chernobyl/Three Mile Island question in public information; o How to engage with the local communities and different examples of benefits for the areas hosting nuclear facilities; o Volunteering in the process of siting new NPPs; o Cross-border communication, and how countries inform neighbouring States and the international community; and o How to train officials in communication and stakeholder engagement. 5. WORKING LANGUAGE The working language of the meeting will be English. No interpretation will be provided. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS Designating Governments will be informed in due course of the names of the selected candidates and will at that time be given full details on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters. The costs of the meeting are borne by the IAEA; no registration fee is charged to participants. Travel and subsistence expenses of participants will not be borne by the IAEA. Limited funds are, however, available to help cover the cost of participants from certain countries. Such assistance can be offered, upon specific request, to one or two participants per country provided that, in the IAEA s view, the participant(s) on whose behalf assistance is requested will make an important contribution to the meeting and that, where assistance is requested for two participants, they represent different national organizations. The application for financial support should be made at the time of designating the participant(s). The organizers of the meeting do not accept liability for the payment of any cost or compensation that may arise from damage to or loss of personal property, or from illness, injury, disability or death of a participant while he/she is travelling to and from or attending the meeting, and it is clearly understood that each Government, in designating participants, undertakes responsibility for such coverage. Governments would be well advised to take out insurance against these risks. 7. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Designations should be submitted on the attached Participation Form. Completed forms should be endorsed by and returned through the established official channels. They must be received by the IAEA not later than 17 June Designations received after that date or applications sent directly by individuals or by private institutions cannot be considered. Designating Governments will be informed in due course of the names of the selected candidates and at that time full details will be given on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters. For Member States receiving technical cooperation assistance, applications for financial support should be made at the time of designating the participant(s). 3

4 Participants requesting financial assistance are expected to provide a short paper, highlighting their contribution to the meeting. The paper should summarize real life examples concerning one or two of the following topics: Stakeholder engagement and public information during the time a country is considering initiating or expanding a nuclear power programme (before the decision is taken); Communication and stakeholder engagement during the siting of new NPPs; Benefits offered to local communities for hosting a nuclear power project; and Cross-border communication, involving neighbouring countries and the international community. Both success stories and analysis of failures and challenges are interesting and relevant to the meeting. Participants from selected countries will be asked to give presentations on their national activities following a template/guide to be provided. 8. VISAS Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as soon as possible. 9. LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS The meeting will be held at the IAEA s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, specifically in Room M7 of the Vienna International Centre (VIC), and will start on Monday, 2 September 2013 at 9.30 a.m. and end at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 September Participants are kindly requested to be at Checkpoint 1/Gate 1 of the VIC at least half an hour before the meeting starts to allow adequate time for photo badges to be issued. Participants should bring some form of personal identification, such as a national passport, so as to identify themselves to the Security Officers at Checkpoint 1. The meeting agenda, together with information on local arrangements, will be sent to designated participants when the completed Participation Forms have been received. 10. ORGANIZATION The IAEA Scientific Secretaries for the meeting are Ms Marta Ferrari and Ms Brenda Pagannone, both of the Division of Nuclear Power, Department of Nuclear Energy. Contact details: International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box VIENNA AUSTRIA Tel.: and Fax: M.Ferrari@iaea.org and B.Pagannone@iaea.org 4

5 FORM A International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA-I5-TM Participation Form TECHNICAL MEETING ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria 2 4 September 2013 To be sent to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for transmission to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria (Fax: ) Family name: Given name(s): Mr/Ms Institution: Full address: For urgent communications please indicate: Phone: Fax: Nationality: Designating Government or organization: Mailing address (if different from address indicated above):

6

7 FORM C International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA-I5-TM Grant Application Form TECHNICAL MEETING ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria 2 4 September 2013 To be sent to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for transmission to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria (Fax: ). To be completed only by participants from developing countries on whose behalf a grant is requested. Full name: Mailing address: Date of birth (year/month/day): Mr/Ms: Phone: Fax: Nationality: 1. EDUCATION (Post-secondary) Name and place of institution Field of study Diploma or Degree Years attended from to 2. RECENT EMPLOYMENT RECORD (Starting with your present post) Name and place of employer/ organization Title of your position Type of work Years worked from to 3. DESCRIPTION OF WORK performed over the last three years: 4. INSTITUTE S/MEMBER STATE S PROGRAMME IN FIELD OF MEETING Date Signature of applicant Date Name and title (printed) and signature of responsible Government official