Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory (RK&M) Across Generations: Final Report of the RK&M Initiative

7421, © OECD 2019 9 THE GLOSSARY OF TERMS OF RECORDS, KNOWLEDGE AND MEMORY (RK&M) PRESERVATION The glossary of terms of records, knowledge and memory (RK&M) preservation When reading this report and other outcomes of the RK&M initiative, readers are advised to make use of the dedicated glossary of terms of RK&M preservation (hereafter “RK&M glossary”). [...] Background and scope of the RK&M initiative The formulation of a dedicated initiative under the aegis of the RWMC The question of how to remember and continue to understand where, why and how radioactive waste is disposed of over time was identified as needing dedicated attention by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC). [...] The need for dedicated attention was also set against the background of national and international policy frameworks and regulatory provisions which explicitly favour the continuation of awareness and knowledge of the location of repositories and the nature of their content over time (EU, 2011),5 but provide limited actual guidance on the topic. [...] In 2010, on the basis of topical RWMC sessions and responses to the questionnaire, the relevance of a shared, broad-based and documented understanding at the international level about concepts and methods for the long-term preservation of information and memory was established. [...] This finding guided the work of the RK&M initiative and confirmed the idea of having an inspirational “toolbox” or “menu” of practical mechanisms for RK&M preservation as one of the important outcomes of the initiative (see Chapters 5 and 6 and Annex 2.2/2.3 with the mechanism description sheets).