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The Committee
2025.08.22
The National Citizens’ Oversight Committee (NBG) is an independent social body. Its members range from scientists to students, from experts to interested citizens. The aim is to support the search for a deep geological repository for high-level nuclear waste - in a mediating, transparent and citizen-oriented manner. The NBG is committed to a fair process.
NBG stands for the National Citizens’ Oversight Committee (Nationales Begleitgremium). It consists of recognized public figures appointed by the Federal Parliament and the Federal Council in Germany. Citizens are also part of the NBG. These are nominated in a participatory process and appointed by the Federal Minister for the Environment.
The NBG shall comprise 18 members - twelve recognized public figures and six citizens, two of whom belong to the younger generation.
The NBG is committed to the following aspects:
- Time follows procedure - not the other way around
- Broad and serious participation from the outset
- Transparency for every step of the process
- Selection procedure based on broad scientific and ethical principles
- a self-questioning and learning process
- learning from past mistakes for the future
The NBG generally meets once a month for public meetings, which are usually also broadcasted on the committee's YouTube channel. Current topics relating to the search for a deep geological repository are discussed here with interested citizens, representatives of the institutions involved and scientists.
The NBG is also organized into specialist groups.These meet in internal sessions and are the committee’s think tanks. This is where concepts and recommendations are developed and topics are examined in detail. The specialist groups are
- specialist group I Public participation
- specialist group II Geology and basic data
- specialist group III Radiation protection and safety
- specialist group IV Self-questioning procedure and institutional network
The NBG also organizes its own events on specific topics. One of its statutory duties is to draw the attention of political decision-makers to important developments in the process. To this end, the committee regularly draws up recommendations and statements.
The NBG's activity reports provide a good overview of all of the committee´s activities.
In a monthly NBG newsletter, the committee informs all interested parties about current topics and publications.