Risk Communication in The Netherlands: The Monitored Introduction of the EC "Post-Seveso" Directive

Implementation of article 8.1 of the EC-"Seveso" Directive (82/501/EC) is now under way in many countries in Europe. In The Netherlands, the implementation of the Directive started with a carefully monitored introduction of active information provision at two sites (Dordrecht and Elst). This introduction was supported by a multidisciplinary research group. This group helped to develop the risk communication program and also played a role in the evaluation of the program. This paper describes these processes and their evaluation. We will focus on the design of the risk communication programs and the effects of the programs on knowledge and attitudes of the local target groups. This effort and its results clearly started an institutional learning process involving governmental bodies at several organizational levels (local, regional, and national), and industrial organizations (individual firms and organizations of industries). Monitoring the design, the implementation, and the effects of active information provision proves an effective means to gain experience with the implementation of the Seveso Directive and could help to facilitate further implementation.     

Refugee resettlement: models in action

"A model of refugee resettlement containing two axes is proposed: volume of refugee intake and emphasis on economic or cultural adaptation." The refugee resettlement practices of Canada, France, and the United States are then described. The author notes that France and Canada favor a moderate intake of refugees with emphasis on economic adaptation, although the emphasis in Quebec is on cultural adaptation. In contrast, the United States accepts a large volume of refugees, with a similar emphasis on economic adaptation.     

Innovation in education: Technological economics

Technological change and innovation are vital parts of the economy. This paper concerns one particular attempt to study both the process of innovation itself and possible means of increasing its effectiveness: Technological Economics. Barriers to innovation, intellectual and organizational, are described from the experience at the University of Stirling.     

Canada's response to refugees

"This paper traces types and numbers of refugees to Canada since World War II. As policy and practices have evolved considerably in that period a brief review of key developments precedes the discussion of Canada's response to the current refugee situation."