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Les
Entretiens européens 2005
Salle Royale, Centre des Congrès, Reims, 25th November
“Managing Nuclear Waste:
Choosing Safety and Sustainable Development”
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
24th
November 2005
Reception of foreign delegates and informal dinner.
25th
November 2005
9.150
a.m.
Inaugural address
9.30 a.m.
Papers
10
a.m.
1st round table
to 12.30 a.m.
“Democratic issues, various form of consultation and the
involvement of the general public in projects.”
The idea here is to look at the various forms of information and
consultation provided for the general public. We do not want to look at it as
opponents do, based on the acceptance or refusal of a laboratory or a disposal
site; we want to consider the progress made in research and the actual contracts
of agreed objectives, in line with what has been done in Canada. We would then
like to reconsider the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
A number of questions will be looked at in detail:
-
a new culture in social relations with regard to
information, consultation and assessment: what are the rights, powers and duties
of citizens and stakeholders?
-
legislative process, public debate, right of
veto, referendum, opinion poll etc. How do our neighbours tackle the issue?
-
the involvement of the general public in
contracts of agreed objectives – a prerequisite for their success.
12.30 a.m.
Papers
1. p.m. Lunch
2.30 p.m.
Papers
3 p.m.
2nd round table
to
5.30 p.m. “Research
laboratories and disposal sites:
opportunities for dynamics based on sustainable development”
The idea is to increase awareness of the fact that our system of
production is tending towards ecoproduction. The nuclear industry has been a
pioneer in this respect, by developing new technologies. In fact, the management
and storage of waste is a very high-tech industry which can create a range of
businesses with added value e.g. storage, safety etc. Moreover, the producers of
waste “have other expertise” which can be called upon by “départements”
that have agreed to the siting of such disposal sites, using the expertise in a
way that takes account of the “département’s” specific advantages
(biomass from farming and forestry, control of energy requirements for small
businesses etc.). This presupposes that all local and industrial stakeholders
will shoulder their responsibilities and make a commitment, along with the local
people, to create new training and businesses in the area concerned.
A number of questions will be looked at in detail:
- the
social and environmental responsibility of waste producers : the technologies
and expertise that should be used to further sustainable development (nuclear
safety and security, biofuels, control of energy demands etc.)
- partnerships
in contracts of agreed objectives; the involvement of all players; the issue of
public/private sector partnerships to fund projects.
5.30 p.m.
Summing-Up
Partners and sponsorship : AREVA, CEA,
Confrontations Europe, EDF, European Commission, FORATOM, French Government
(Industry and Research Ministries), Reims Town.
