[en] Major nuclear accidents generate large scale crisis that may contaminate wide areas for decades. The inhabitants of these areas must then gain new knowledge and adapt their lifestyle to limit the health and social consequences of radioactivity. France developed a procedures to manage such a situation, but the communication strategies presented do not fully support neither dialogue between authorities and citizen nor the use of social Web tools. This thesis was part of the SCOPANUM (Strategies de Communication de crise en gestion Post-Accident Nucleaire via les Media Sociaux) research project, backed by a grant from CSFRS (Conseil Superieur Pour la Formation et la Recherche Strategique). It aims to assess the benefits of information-communication technologies to develop more suitable crisis communication strategies for post-nuclear-accident situations. After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, collaborative practices have emerged to collect and aggregate radiation measurements thanks to social media. The analysis of Twitter uses revealed that the diffusion of these measurements is not well adapted to the post-nuclear-accident situation. We developed a set of guidelines and a software prototype to support the re-usability of the radiation measurements that are shared on social media. Our work also focused on the practical knowledge that may help people to adapt their life in the contaminated areas. We presented several methods to support the identification and the formal representation of this knowledge using Semantic Web technologies. From these models, we built and tested Ginkgo, a mobile web application designed to support knowledge sharing and appropriation. (author)

[en] Initiatives involving stakeholder engagement have gained increasing importance in sustainable decision making for many risk-related issues. This paper describes a Belgian experience within a European context related to food management options in the event of a radioactive contamination of the food chain. Under the auspices of the European Commission's 5. Framework Programme, the F.A.R.M.I.N.G. (F.A.R.M.I.N.G. 2000) project (co-ordinated by H.P.A.) a stakeholder network was established in a number of European countries, following a successful approach originally adopted in the UK. In a comparable approach, national working groups were thus established in Belgium, Finland, France and Greece in order to organise stakeholder panels and to discuss the outcomes of scientific and technical research related to management options for the food chain. The results of these panels were exchanged between participating Member States and on a wider international basis at the W.I.S.D.O.M.2. workshop in 2003. The F.A.R.M.I.N.G. project had many achievements and there were also several important lessons learned for Belgium (Vandecasteele et al., 2005): Firstly, many stakeholders showed a real interest in tackling problems relating to food chain contamination; Secondly, the Belgian agricultural system is very intensive and technically and economically optimised, making many of the options envisaged difficult to implement; thirdly, the applicability of management options is also limited by political and legal issues (e.g. competencies, environmental legislation), operational constraints (e.g. waste treatment, supplies of materials), societal and ethical aspects (e.g. milk disposal to sea, animal welfare), and economics (e.g. who pays the intervention cost?); fourthly, there is a now a greater awareness of these problems in both the food production sector and among the experts involved in emergency management; Fifthly, increased attention is now given in Belgium to the medium and long term management of a contaminated area than it was previously the case; Sixthly, the F.A.R.M.I.N.G. project has contributed to an organisational change in the Belgian emergency organisation through the creation of a special advisory committee for socio-economic aspects. The international dimension created by the F.A.R.M.I.N.G. network is of utmost importance. The W.I.S.D.O.M. workshop highlighted that there are plenty of differences between countries, both in their approach to the stakeholder process and in the management options finally considered as acceptable. These differences are partly due to parameters such as climate, soil and intensity of agricultural system, but also to cultural differences and variability in the organisation of emergency management. The successful outcome of the F.A.R.M.I.N.G. project has enabled further work involving stakeholder engagement to continue under the auspices of the 6. Framework Programme integrated project E.U.R.A.N.O.S.. Stakeholder panels are currently being convened for developing a generic handbook for the management of food production systems in Europe, based on a previous UK handbook. At this stage, feedback from the stakeholders is leading to considerable modifications of the original document. The adapted version will later be discussed within the stakeholder panels, prior to the final release. (authors)

[en] More than 2000 deep boreholes have been made in the Parisian Basin - more than 1000 of them in the Ile-de-France Region, mainly in Seine-et-Marne and Essonne departments. Although drilling leaves fewer marks on the landscape than mines, its effects on the environment are more insidious and long-term. For this reason, measures must now be taken to avoid lasting damage to this underground water supply. (authors)

[en] In 1965, the Radioprotection Service (SPR) of CEA's Marcoule center published the first general guidelines for the protection of workers from radiation. Marcoule's workers were all the more involved in radiation protection as Marcoule was the place where the first UNGG reactor with its plutonium extraction unit was built in France. As soon as 1956, the SPR was aware of the necessity to capitalize on the experience acquired in dealing with nuclear activities. The guidelines were published in the form of a binder in which pages could be added at each upgrading of the knowledge. These guidelines show at that time the necessity to spread knowledge on how to cope with radiation and to standardize and unify practices in order to built a culture of safety among workers of the nascent nuclear industry. The initial guidelines were divided into 7 topics: -) zoning according to radioactive risks, -) general recommendations for dosimetry, -) protection devices for respiratory tracts, -) standards for radioactive contamination, -) nuclear matter transport, -) packaging and disposal of radioactive waste, and -) the management of the radioactive sources. (A.C.)

[en] Some great principles have given directions for this report. balance between internal measures and market mechanisms, the energy control and saving at production and consumption, the setting up of incentive economical tools, the necessity of a precise information about the consequences, in term of greenhouse gases emissions for any public or private investment decision. A big uncertainty assigns the interactions between the climate warming and its modifications. The policy duty is to take into account the scientific statements by implementing the caution principle. (N.C.)

[en] In France the seismic risk in the design of nuclear facilities is taken into account through regulations, rules and design criteria that are stricter than for other installations even dams. Benchmarks and feedback experiences from seismic areas from around the world have shown high resistance to earthquakes particularly for building and piping. Nevertheless it appears weaknesses on the electric equipment side like electrical cabinets or electrical relays. All the studies show that the standards for the dimensioning of nuclear structures provide large safety margins. (A.C.)

[en] This article details the consequences of the climate warming on France and particularly on 4 regions of southern France. France will be particularly well hit in its southern part: while an average earth warming of 2 degrees is expected, temperature increases of at least 3 degrees are likely locally in France. Coastal regions particularly those densely populated of the mediterranean will have to face huge challenges: the rise of the sea level, droughts over longer periods, more frequent storms and torrential rains. At the beginning the warming will appear beneficial because of the reduction of the heating bill or the increase of the wood production but on the mean and long term the balance will be highly negative: huge economical losses are expected because of the generalization of forest fires, storms, droughts, shortage of water. France will have to adapt its agricultural sector by promoting species more resistant to the lack of water or by fighting new invading pests efficiently. (A.C.)

[en] RTE, the company that manages the power distribution network in France, got a sharp increase in its turnover (+10%) in 2003 to reach 4035 million euros. Its net result (276 million euros) was almost 3 times as high as it was in 2002 (105 million euros). 2 factors can explain this favourable situation: - an important power demand because of climatic reasons (hot-days and winter cold spells), and - the implementation of a new tariff for the access to the distribution network all year round

[en] Peridotite xenoliths collected in two Mio-Pliocene volcanoes on either side of the Sillon Houiller (French Massif Central) have contrasting characteristics. East of the Sillon Houiller, the peridotites record anomalously high temperatures (1,250 deg. C) and extensive re-equilibration with basaltic melts. To the waste, equilibrium temperatures are much lower (950 deg C) and the peridotites bear evidence for interaction with volatile-rich small melt fractions. In agreement with seismic tomographic data, these results indicate that the Massif Central lithospheric mantle is strongly affected by mantle plume upwelling to the east of the Sillon Houiller, while this effect is moderate to the west. (authors)

[en] Despite technical and organisational existing arrangements to prevent human and equipment failures, the possibility of a severe nuclear accident that could result in transboundary radioactive release can never be ruled out. Furthermore, radiological emergencies of various types continue to occur in the world. Public authorities have a major responsibility in the protection of the population in case of accident This article aims to specify the new french organization to respond to such emergency situations. This organization is based on a national emergency organization, emergency plans, trained staff which participates in periodic exercises, standards counter-measures to assure protection of the population. ASN as adviser of the government and the emergency operation director comments this organization. (authors)