The Concept of Socio-economic Indicators for Siting the Deep Geological Repository in the Czech Republic

This expert document was commissioned by SÚRAO, the Czech Radioactive Waste Repository Authority, and examines the possibilities of research into the socioeconomic aspects of siting a deep geological repository (DGR) for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste in the Czech Republic. The document is divided into three parts.

The first part defines the subject matter and, based on a review of international literature, provides an overview of approaches to socioeconomic analysis across five relevant areas of social science research: 1) in the implementation of megaprojects, 2) in the implementation of DGRs, 3) in the siting of socially unwanted structures (especially concerning structures socio-technically analogous to DGR), 4)in the forecasting of socioeconomic development and so-called future studies, and also 5) within the framework of so-called social science and technology studies. The review showed that, compared to other topics related to the DGR, including public engagement, public opinion and the acceptability by the local community, the attitudes of stakeholders outside the public, ethical aspects and questions of justice, issues of dialogue and trust building, or the analysis of risk and safety perceptions, the more narrowly defined specific area of research into socio-economic indicators has been relatively little investigated so far. Empirical research in this area could therefore bring knowledge relevant not only for the Czech Republic, but also on an international scale. At the end of the first part, we recall the previous experience in the Czech Republic with social science research on nuclear energy, nuclear waste, and preparedness for radiation events, and draw attention to the interdependence of social science topics in the study of nuclear power plant siting.

The second part presents the concept of socio-economic indicators for siting the DGR in the Czech Republic. First, we summarize the results of three recent studies that have addressed the issue using different methodologies. Based on the evaluation of the results of these studies, we present suggestions for broadening/deepening the socioeconomic analysis, divided into eleven thematic areas. Next, propose a system of socioeconomic indicators for siting the DGR. In the first step, we present comprehensive table with the current status indicators, which are organized into eleven groups: 1) demographic; 2) economic structure and labour market; 3) distribution of direct and indirect impacts of the DGR; 4) housing and real estate; 5) transport and mobility; 6) infrastructure and services; 7) health and healthcare; 8) environmental perception and ecosystem services; 9) social cohesion and trust; 10) cultural and identity characteristics; and 11) attitudes towards DGR. For each indicator, the table provides basic information regarding the data sources. The table is designed in a maximalist fashion, i.e., it considers the widest possible number of indicators, and assumes further work with indicators and their gradual prioritization would result in a shorter, purposefully compiled system of indicators for long-term, repeated socioeconomic research.

In this context, the design of indicators in the second step focuses on the future dimension of the HÚ project. Research on the socioeconomic aspects of the HÚ project should, in addition to the current state, also take into account the opportunities and risks of possible future states. This can be ensured in several ways. First, it would be appropriate to design the indicators of the current state in such a way that after the selection of the final and backup locations, they could be used for follow-up research and comparison with the state before the selection. Second, in some areas, the possibilities of specifically designed short-term predictions can be considered, which would be based on the statistical evaluation of existing data and knowledge of development trends. The third option is to involve the public and stakeholders in exploring the possible future positive and negative impacts of the DGR through expert-moderated meetings, focusing on better understanding the risks and opportunities associated with the project in a specific location.

The third part outlines a potential applied research project on socio-economic indicators for the location of HU in the Czech Republic. At the outset, we clarify the research need, objectives, and applicability of the results. The subsequent description limits itself to outlining basic methodology, which includes the following approaches: secondary analysis (analysis of data sources and study of documents), quantitative data collection (questionnaire survey), qualitative data collection (semi-structured interviews, workshops focusing on the future of the location with the DGR), and participatory methods (website and social network account, consultation of research results). We propose a five-year implementation period for the project as a basic option, which would have four phases: data collection (approx. 24 months), data collection evaluation (approx. 12 months), interaction between researchers, local communities, and other stakeholders (approx. 12 months), and interaction evaluation (approx. 12 months). The four-year project implementation option would not include interaction evaluation, and the three-year option would not involve interaction either. We believe a project shorter than three years is not appropriate, given the volume of research work required. We also briefly address the issue of financing the research project.