PADAMOT (Palaeohydrogeological Data Analysis and Model Testing) is a database being built and populated as part of the PADAMOT project which is part of the 5th Framework R&D Programme of the European Union. The research being carried out is contributing to our understanding of the long-term safety of placing radioactive wastes in underground repositories. It is funded by the European Commission, Nirex (UK), SKB (Sweden), ENRESA (Spain) RAWRA (Czech Republic) and BGS (UK). The project is coordinated by Nirex (UK) and the research is being carried out by Terralogica (Sweden), CIEMAT, Spain, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain), Universidad de la Coruna (Spain), Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic), University of Edinburgh (UK), Intellisci (UK) and British Geological Survey (UK). Safety considerations for storing radioactive wastes must take into account the various scenarios for environmental change over the long period of time during which they will pose a hazard. One of the factors potentially affecting safety is therefore changing climate. Putting high level radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel deep underground in a 'geological repository' is the generally preferred option for their long-term management. A major reason for preferring this option is that the impacts of changing climate and the consequent increased uncertainty about long-term safety are removed or at least reduced by putting the waste deep underground.
