The Last Obstacle - Ensuring the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management through Multilateralism

While the world discusses the use of nuclear energy in the context of climate change and a way towards climate neutrality, the management of nuclear waste is usually not at the forefront of discussions. In accordance with the mandate of IAEA, this committee will address the issues associated with nuclear waste management - such as the safety of facilities, but also develop a more coherent approach to determining locations for nuclear waste facilities.

When using nuclear energy, the issue of storage always needs to be addressed simultaneously. Different types of nuclear waste have differing levels of radioactivity and thus cause varying concerns for safety. Some types of nuclear waste however remain highly radioactive and lethal for millenia to come - a time scale that can be difficult to grasp. Whether nuclear energy will be used in the coming decades or not - the nuclear waste exists, creating the need for a coherent, safe nuclear waste management. Firstly, the committee will aim to enhance existing IAEA safety regulations for nuclear waste facilities and work towards a coherent approach in order to increase safety and transparency into said facilities. To enhance the safety of nuclear waste management facilities, choosing the right location is vital. The debates will center around transparency but also around sharing best practices in both nuclear waste management and the proper positioning of said facilities. The safe management of nuclear waste is essential for the IAEA to reach its objective for peace, health, and prosperity around the world. By working together and finding innovative approaches to nuclear waste management within the mandate of the IAEA, delegates will work toward a shared vision of a peaceful future and the safekeeping of nuclear waste both now and for the millennia to come.