InSOTEC aims at identifying the main socio-political challenges for implementing geological disposal and their interplay with technical challenges. It will furthermore provide the IGD-TP with concrete suggestions on how to address these entangled socio-technical challenges.The biggest challenge today lies in adapting the generic concept of geological disposal to the real world environment (both natural and social) in which it needs to be implemented and with which the whole of the waste management system will need to build and maintain a long-term sustainable relationship. Addressing this challenge will imply searching for a strong and lasting connection between the technical and social aspects of managing radioactive waste.InSOTEC wants to contribute to addressing this challenge by:- Identify and clarify socio-technical challenges for implementing geological disposal (and radioactive waste management in general).- Develop further analytical insights into these challenges by means of a number of case studies on specific topics, addressing the interplay between technical and socio-political challenges.- Advance and facilitate mutual learning, and advise and assist scientists and technological experts to develop the tools and the ability to communicate in a two way process about their work and to engage with stakeholders on technical and safety issues.- Advise the IGD-TP on how to strengthen its position and message to the world of decision-makers, through the integration of a social component within its scope of work by:o Exploring with the IGD-TP how to fulfil its ambition to link a broader range of stakeholders (of which some non-institutional) on a structured basis to the platform’s Exchange Forum.o Making concrete suggestions to the IGD-TP on how to set priorities for a social sciences and multidisciplinary research agenda that will help to address the socio-technical as one single problem