Experience following the Chernobyl accident in the CIS and the EU has clearly
demonstrated that policies and strategies for long-term management of extensive
contaminated areas must give due importance to social, cultural, ethical, environmental,
economic and political factors beyond the sole radiological protection and health
perspective. What is at stake in the long-term response to such a situation is the
sustainable rehabilitation of living conditions in affected territories, in a context in
which each person can actively contribute to his own protection. Preparing or developing
rehabilitation of living conditions in a territory affected by long-lasting radioactive
contamination is a broader issue of governance as it must address all affected dimensions
and articulate the actions of the various concerned actors at the local, regional and
national level. To respond to this challenge, a specific research project was implemented
by Mutadis, CEPN, NRPA and AgroParisTech from April 2004 to June 2009 in the framework of
the EURANOS integrated programme. The overall objective of this project was “to
develop a strategic and methodological framework that can inform or assist national
authorities in Europe in establishing arrangements for the long-term management and the
sustainable rehabilitation of living conditions in extensive areas that may be
contaminated as a result of an accident or malevolent act involving radioactive
material”. The proposed framework describes a two-steps method allowing
national and local authorities together with key stakeholders to establish arrangements
and preparation strategies in the perspective of long-term management of a radiological
event. It may also be used to develop rehabilitation strategies in countries affected by
long-lasting radioactive contamination. This framework aims to set up favourable
conditions for stakeholders (in particular local communities) to engage effectively and
sustainably in the cooperative development of post-accident preparation or management
strategies. The first step of the method aims to frame the issue and identify conditions
for stakeholders to engage in rehabilitation preparedness or management strategies. The
second step aims to develop a local-national cooperation platform gathering local and
national, private and public actors to develop together preparation or management
strategies.