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Offshore wind farms are increasingly part of the modern coastal landscape and are often the reason for public opposition. To inform policymakers and to facilitate public participation strategies, the present study examines public opinion concerning offshore wind energy projects on the Belgian coast, its evolution over time and significant determinants. Public opinion is compared for three moments in time. A significant increase in acceptance was found between 2002 (planning phase prior to construction) and 2009 (turbines operational and more under construction). Acceptance remained at a high level from 2009 to 2019 with expansion still ongoing. Familiarization led to a reduction in negative attitudes. In the current population (2019), the visibility of the turbines has no influence on attitudes. Support for wind energy can be ensured when the facilities are perceived as part of the coast's identity and when perceived impacts can be kept low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential of self-reported information on capabilities as an alternative indicator and aggregator for well-being. We survey a population of 18 year old first-year Bachelor students in applied economics and business studies and demonstrate a way in which capabilities can be measured on the level of life domains as well as on the general level of "life as a whole". The data confirm the theoretical hypothesis that the set of capabilities is larger than the achieved functionings. We investigate and compare which variables influence general capabilities and satisfaction with life. We find that both concepts are equally depending on the "mood of the day". On the other hand, we find some diverging influences that call for a debate on the (policy) relevance of different well-being concepts and their determining variables. The capabilities interpretation of well-being points to an important role of the parents (especially when they are divorced or rather strict) while the information on satisfaction is more related to personal and situational characteristics (such as not being single or the number of family visits).

The aim of this paper is to distinguish some of the factors that have an influence on the length of the joblessness period between the school-leaving date and the start of the first job. Several hypotheses are tested on the basis of a duration model using data on Flemish school leavers. The speed of the transition process is found to be a function of factors that are controllable at relatively low cost, such as search intensity, factors that are manageable at large investments cost, such as the level of education, as well as factors that are outside of control, such as ethnicity. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables and 9 notes.)

Are individuals able to self-assess the environmental impact of their behavior? To answer this question, we first analyze the different behavioral determinants of the ecological footprint (EF), an often used measure of an individual’s environmental impact. Second, we compare the individuals’ EF with self-assessments of their own environmental impact (self-assessed environmental sustainability [SAES]). We use survey data from Belgium and find that people are largely unaware of the environmental impact they have, as the correlation between the EF and the SAES is small. Finally, we find that SAES reflects, to a large extent, individuals’ attitudes toward the environment, whereas the EF is mainly explained by sociodemographic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]