Final transversal framework including lessons, principles and guidelines on information and participation in nuclear emergency and post-emergency: PREPARE WP6-2

The PREPARE European research project (2013-2016) has included a specific work package (work package 6 – WP6) dedicated to the issue of “information and participation of the public” in order to update reflections on this issue at the light of the emerging post-Fukushima experience. The present report summarises the findings of the different activities carried out in the framework of WP6.
Within this work package, the issue of information and participation of the public was addressed from 3 different points of view: i) The role of networks of experts (be them institutional or non-institutional experts) in processes in which citizens access to relevant and trustworthy information, ii) The processes of information and participation of local actors, which is the focus of the current report, iii) The role of traditional and social media. These three different activities have been conducted according to their respective methodologies, but shared a common perspective and common hypotheses about the issue of information and participation of the public, which are developed in section 2 of the present report. This perspective notably grounds on the requirements of the requirement of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. According to the Aarhus Convention, information and participation of the public aims at first to support the capacity of affected actors to protect themselves.