Strengthening Nuclear Dialogue

Effective stakeholder engagement is crucial for building public trust and confidence in nuclear power projects, leading to better outcomes and long term sustainability. Without sufficient engagement, opposition, misinformation or unaddressed concerns about safety or environmental impacts can hinder nuclear power programmes. A lack of trust can result in project delays, increased costs and difficulty in securing public support. Missed opportunities for collaboration and partnerships can stifle innovation and the project’s success.

To address the growing demand from countries seeking to improve nuclear communication and stakeholder engagement, the IAEA has established a set of capacity building activities. Most recently it launched the Nuclear Stakeholder Engagement School in November 2024 in collaboration with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy.

The school is designed to enhance skills in stakeholder engagement throughout the nuclear fuel cycle. It aims to deepen understanding of the importance of integrating stakeholder engagement into an organization’s management processes and core values. Participants learn about the psychology of human decision making; tools and methods for engagement; design and implementation of stakeholder engagement programmes; crisis and emergency communication strategies; and tactics for countering disinformation, misinformation, rumours and fake news. The school also explores how to monitor and evaluate engagement strategies to ensure sustained stakeholder engagement in the long term.

“As Indonesia progresses toward its first nuclear power plant, the knowledge I gained from the IAEA–ICTP Nuclear Stakeholder Engagement School will be instrumental in fostering informed discussions and building public confidence,” said Veri Trisnawan, a researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. “This experience will help my organization implement global best practices in stakeholder engagement, ensuring a smooth and well supported nuclear energy transition.”

The inaugural school brought together professionals from governments, regulatory bodies, industry and research organizations in 25 countries, including nuclear newcomer nations constructing their first reactors, as well as countries with decades of experience in operating nuclear power plants.

“By applying the best practices I learned, I can contribute to fostering open dialogue with the public, government institutions and industry stakeholders to ensure informed decision making and regulatory clarity,” said Ramy Afifi, Senior Strategic Communications and International Cooperation Specialist at the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority. “Strengthening stakeholder confidence in the regulatory process is crucial for the successful and safe development of the national nuclear power programme, and the skills I acquired at the school will support this objective.”

“The experience I gained in the school will directly contribute to ensuring the successful implementation of South Africa’s nuclear expansion programme by improving communication strategies, fostering stakeholder trust and aligning with global standards for transparency and engagement,” said Roseth Senosi, a research assistant at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. “The training also provided strategies for managing misinformation and addressing the concerns promptly, which will be crucial in maintaining public and political support for our nuclear programme.”

The pilot edition of the Nuclear Stakeholder Engagement School was supported by the US Department of Energy through the IAEA Peaceful Uses Initiative. The next editions will be hosted by the Russian Federation in September 2025 and by the United States of America in November 2025.

In addition to the school, the IAEA regularly holds national and regional workshops on stakeholder engagement, including through its technical cooperation programme, and integrates this topic in its review missions.

The IAEA has recently stepped up its support to Member States in this area by establishing  a Stakeholder Engagement Advisory Service for Nuclear Power Programmes that guides countries through a comprehensive assessment of their stakeholder engagement efforts and provides them with advice on how to enhance their efforts.

Additional guidance on communicating and engaging with various stakeholder groups is provided in IAEA publications such as Stakeholder Engagement in Nuclear Programmes and Communication and Stakeholder Involvement in Radioactive Waste Disposal. The IAEA Safety Standards also provide recommendations and guidance to regulatory bodies on communication and consultation with the public and other interested parties.

“Over the past years, we have witnessed growing public support for nuclear energy, but we must not become complacent,” said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy, which leads the Agency’s stakeholder engagement activities for nuclear power programmes. “It is crucial for the nuclear industry, policy makers and communication professionals to work together and ensure transparency and openness, especially as we enter a new era of advanced nuclear energy, including small modular reactors. We cannot afford a setback if we are to enable more clean and reliable energy for the world.”