Living with nuclear waste in Europe

2023 was a decisive year for the nuclear industry in Europe. In Finland, the first EPR entered electricity production. France passed a law to faciliate the construction of 6 – and up to 14 – new reactors. At the same time, Germany officially opted out from nuclear energy production and closed off its last three facilities. What all these countries have in common is the shared uncertainty of a future with nuclear waste.

What does this future look like? A team of three journalists tried to answer this question meeting people who will soon live next door to nuclear waste storage centres. Their stances range across the spectrum, from active opposition – to quiet acceptance. In some countries the protest movements seem to be louder and more pronounced than in others – but it is not always reflected in political decisions.

In his documentary project, photographer Maxime Riché portrayed the people met and the places visited. He aims to create an image of what it will mean to humanity to co-live with nuclear waste for the next thousands of years. The trips resulted in a series of articles published in Reporterre.

The other articles focus on the relevancy of democratic values, like transparency or the right to protest, in regards to the planned storage of nuclear waste. Are the democratic processes enabled or respected? The journalists compared the tensions, or lack thereof, present in all three countries.