Back-end to the Future: Safeguards Considerations for Multinational Geological Repositories

The responsibility of countries to manage and dispose of their own spent fuel and radioactive waste does not preclude a collaborative approach. The economies of scale of multinational geological repositories (MGRs) would benefit not only countries without suitable geological conditions or those with small waste volumes but also the nuclear non-proliferation regime given material would be consolidated at fewer sites. Nuclear Cooperation Agreements (NCAs) for MGRs may have to be negotiated among participants in line with international, multilateral and bilateral treaty obligations while addressing complexities specific to shared geological facilities such as transport and transfer of ownership. The long timelines of underground disposal also require the forecasting of several “what ifs” regarding the future global political landscape and its nuclear risks. Raising more questions than answers, this working paper is the second in a series considering safeguards implications for MGRs. It will particularly focus on potential scenarios where safeguards agreements may no longer apply, but also how they may be shifted, and the potential for the current (and future) nuclear non-proliferation regime to respond.