From welfare to knowfare.
A European approach to employment and gender mainstreaming in the Knowledge Based Society.





The basic idea behind the WELLKNOW project is that growing number of European countries are implementing measures enabling individuals to acquire the "necessary/right" skills such that they can provide for themselves through paid work instead of relying on financial support from the state when out of work. In other words, there appears to be a shift in emphasis from what we know as welfare to what we would like to call knowfare.

The main objective of the project is to provide comparative and multidisciplinary analyses of the transition towards the Knowledge Based Society, KBS, from employment and gender perspectives. The project will seek answers to the question whether knowfare policies that promote investment in individuals and social cohesion reflect the main characteristics of divergent welfare models (e.g. Continental and Nordic) or impose a convergence around a European approach towards the KBS. The empirical results of the project will be used to outline a European approach that promotes employment and social cohesion, especially, gender equality. Moreover, indicators, ranks and benchmarks will be developed that capture policy goals of the European Employment Strategy, EES, and the progress towards the KBS from a gender perspective. Finally, the project will provide insights into and policy options of how to facilitate transition towards a competitive KBS with more and better jobs as well as greater gender equality.

The Newsletter gives an overview of current activities of the Europäische Akademie and its running and future projects. It is published mostly in English and appears free of charge six or eight times per year.
Regular parts of it are the focus article (scientists write about a topic of the project groups or other issues relevant for the Europäische Akademie), news about the academy´s working groups and latest publications and lectures of members of the Europäische Akademie. ...

No. 78:
March 2008
Pros and cons of nuclear energy: Private versus social costs
Thomas Ziesemer
No. 77:


January 2008
Is there an imminent renaissance of nuclear energy?
Klaus Heinloth

The Ziesmer article makes some interesting poiints: herer is the abstract:
"Whether or not nuclear energy should be used as a means against climate change cannot be determined
on the basis of lower CO2 emissions alone. Other aspects have to be taken into account
as well. It is hard, though, to find other favourable aspects, because (i) it is an unnecessarily
costly technology if all cost items in regard to risks of terrorism, safety and nuclear waste as well
as costs of scrapping are correctly taken into account rather than being waived as implicit
subsidies, (ii) the political situations in the relevant countries of procurement are not more favourable
than for the alternatives. The costs of electricity from fourth generation reactors which may
be an option for the future are unknown by now. As an intermediary solution, until long-run solutions
are found, nuclear energy is likely to crowd out the renewable and sustainable technologies.
The remaining chance for nuclear energy is based on high CO2-prices to be paid by the
competitors and low insurance costs, risks being born by society. This scenario, however, represents
an unfair competition through an asymmetric handling of the principal of causation."

And from Heinloth:

"Nuclear energy is used extensively worldwide, presently with more than 400 power
plants. These plants mostly use light-water reactors, which, inevitably, are burdened with
the risk of a “maximum credible accident” (MCA). Still, these nuclear power plants contribute
about 17% of the global electricity supply. Roughly two thirds of the electricity
available in the world comes from fossil-fuel stations and the remainder from hydroelectric
power plants. Several countries now consider extending the original service life of existing
nuclear power plants by about 20 years. Furthermore, there are plans to build a new
generation of nuclear plants, promising a lower risk of major accidents. These will be,
mainly, modified light-water reactors like the “European Pressure Water Reactor” (EPR),
but also high-temperature reactors with inherent safety. Presently there are 30 nuclear
power plants under construction worldwide, of which two will be in France and Finland
and eleven in China and India. Another 40 nuclear power plants are under planning. This
would amount to 15% global growth of installed nuclear power capacity. The question
is: What are the boundary conditions and energy options that influence this development?"

Rethinking Development Economics