A Comparison of Social and Economic Engagement Approaches: Lessons from Recent International Radioactive Waste Projects - 17478

The central challenge of any proposed radioactive waste management project is securing not only regulatory permissions, but also a social license to operate. 'Social license' generally refers to a community's acceptance or approval of a specific project. Oftentimes development of social license occurs outside of, or in parallel to, formal regulatory or permitting processes, and requires sustained commitment and proposed economic benefits to communities by proponents to acquire, build, and sustain social capital in the context of trust-based relationships. Historically, radioactive waste management projects have defaulted to demagoguery and 'siege warfare' modes of thinking and action by both proponents and opponents. While radioactive waste management projects are always inherently controversial, it is only recently that project owners and developers have experimented with alternative forms of social engagement outside of, or in addition to, formal regulatory processes. This paper compares and contrasts recent projects in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, by examining distinct approaches to social engagement, with a focus on new methods that have been used to promote mutual understanding, foster rational debate, build confidence, promote economic development, and secure social license. The projects examined span the life-cycle of radioactive waste management development, from ones that are purely aspirational, to ones in early planning stages, to ones seeking a host community, to one that is focused on sustainment of existing social license. Several notable lessons and innovative practices are identified that will be of interest to radioactive waste management project owners and developers, non-governmental organizations, potential host communities, and political decision-makers for such projects. (authors)