Video summary
Twenty-five years ago, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management came into force, establishing a global framework built on transparency, peer learning, and shared responsibility. The core commitment remains clear: managing spent fuel and radioactive waste must be done safely, transparently, and collectively because these challenges do not respect national borders. Whether a state operates nuclear power plants, utilizes radiation for medicine and industry, or simply hosts materials in transit, every country has a vital stake in ensuring the long-term safety of these activities as collective issues that require unified action.
At the eighth review meeting held in 2025, contracting parties identified critical challenges that are essential to address today and will remain relevant tomorrow, including the complexity of managing aging facilities and legacy waste alongside the need for robust national strategies and strengthened regulatory independence. As we enter a period of accelerated global expansion in nuclear technology featuring advanced reactors, small modular reactors, and new fuel cycles, these innovations promise significant opportunities but also introduce new waste streams and technical demands that require careful regulation. Becoming a contracting party is therefore described as a smart strategic decision that offers nations a structured pathway to build credible systems while providing access to decades of lessons learned from experienced regulators and operators.
The practical benefits of the convention are evident in how participating states have used peer review findings to secure political support, demonstrate transparency to the public, and justify investments in infrastructure, thereby improving regulatory clarity and supporting long-term planning. Looking toward the next twenty-five years and beyond, priorities include ensuring universal participation so that every country, especially newcomers, can fully engage with this global safety framework while preparing for emerging technologies and evolving waste inventories. The overarching goal is to promote science over ideology, cooperation over isolation, and long-term stewardship over short-term convenience, translating the lessons identified in review meetings into impactful actions.
Ultimately, the Joint Convention represents both a formal commitment and a vibrant community supported by more than 90 contracting parties whose dedication has shaped its success today. The International Atomic Energy Agency promises to continue supporting these nations as they shape the convention for future decades, ensuring that it remains effective against new challenges while fostering international trust. By continuing to strengthen national policies through this collaborative framework, the global nuclear community can navigate complex technical and regulatory landscapes with confidence, securing a safer future for generations to come through sustained partnership and shared leadership.
Read the full video transcript
25 years ago, the Joint Convention on
the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and
on the Safety of Radioactive Waste
Management entered into force.
It established a culture of
transparency, peer learning, and shared
responsibility.
The commitment is clear
to manage spent fuel and radioactive
waste safely,
transparently,
and together.
Our challenges do not respect borders.
They are long-term, and they are
collective.
Every state has a stake, whether it
operates nuclear power plants, uses
radiation for medicine and industry, or
simply hosts materials in transit.
At the eighth review meeting in 2025,
contracting parties identified issues
that matter today and will matter
tomorrow. The growing complexity of
managing aging facilities and legacy
waste, the need for robust national
strategies, strengthened regulatory
independence, and a skilled workforce,
and the importance of gaining public
trust.
There is no time to waste in rising to
these challenges. We are entering the
most accelerated global expansion of
nuclear technology in decades.
Advanced reactors and small modular
reactors, as well as new fuel cycles,
promise opportunities,
but they also introduce new waste
streams,
new technical considerations and
regulatory demands. That's why becoming
a contracting party to the Joint
Convention is a smart, strategic
decision.
For embarking countries, it offers a
structured, peer-reviewed pathway to
building national systems that are
credible, far-sighted, and
internationally trusted.
It provides access to decades of lessons
learned
and connects new programs with
experienced regulators, operators, and
technical organizations.
Contracting parties report that the
review process has strengthened their
national policies,
improved their regulatory clarity, and
supported long-term planning.
Many have used the peer review findings
to secure political support,
demonstrate transparency to the public,
and justify investment in
infrastructure.
As we look to the next 25 years and
beyond,
our priorities are clear.
We need to support the universalization
of the convention,
ensuring that every country,
especially newcomers, can participate
fully in this global safety framework.
We must prepare for emerging
technologies and evolving waste
inventories. We should continue to
promote science over ideology,
cooperation over isolation, and
long-term stewardship over short-term
convenience.
And we must translate lessons identified
in review meetings into action with
impact.
The Joint Convention is a commitment,
but it is also a community.
I'd like to thank the more than 90
contracting parties whose dedication,
partnership, and leadership have made
the Joint Convention into what it is
today. And I promise that the IAEA will
continue to support you in shaping it
for the decades to come.