Newsletter Closing Loops: Summer 2018 Towardseditorial an Effective Titlepost-2020 TITLE Science- Policy-Society Interface in Europe
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Issue 47 Editorial Newsletter Closing loops: Summer 2018 TowardsEditorial an effective TITLEpost-2020 TITLE science- policy-society interface in Europe In this issue P.2 Closing loops: Towards an effective post-2020 science-policy-society interface in Europe P.4 Think 2030 speakers and partners announced P.6 New appointments and presenting the IEEP Strategic Advisory Council P.13 IEEP Annual Review 2016 – 17 P.14 2018-19 European Policy Calendar P.18 Books & Publications P.19 Conferences & Events Closing loops: Towards an effective post-2020 science-policy-society interface in Europe by Céline Charveriat IEEP Executive Director Sustainable Development learning and knowledge creation”2. ruptive forces and tipping points Goals are disruptive. They Indeed, an effective science-policy and building not only on applied sci- imply a radical departure interface should include horizon ence, but also evidence developed “ scanning and foresight, address by practitioners directly involved from business as usual…likely to require new ways to approach short-term expertise needs, pro- in the implementation of policies. the science-policy interface.”1 vide consolidated views from a Moreover, this process must be able range of science and analytical to accommodate divergent view- disciplines, identify policy-relevant points from policy-makers who are These conclusions from the 2016 knowledge gaps to inform EU and driven more by beliefs than scien- UN’s Forum for Science, Technol- Member States’ research priori- tific evidence and by today’s inter- ogy and Innovation of the SDGs ties, and communicate clearly and ests to voters than by the interests of are important to bear in mind for honestly to inform public debate on future generations. Harnessing new Europe’s current policy context. complex issues.3 sources of information, such as big What will be the scientific basis data, would be also essential. for Europe’s post-2020 strategy To rise to the challenge posed by and budgetary choices? What evi- the SDGs - an integrated framework There are less than 5,000 days left to dence and analysis do we need to including economic, political, social 2030. Given the delay between the help develop an 8th Environmen- and environmental objectives - formulation of new European poli- tal Action Plan that is genuinely science-policy interfaces must also cies and the delivery of outcomes, aligned to the Sustainable Devel- be capable of embracing complex- identifying how quickly action must opment Goals (SDGs)? ity, where facts can be “uncertain, be taken is key, hence the need for values in dispute, stakes high and back-casting exercises to inform According to Kastrinos (2018), the decisions urgent”.4 This requires immediate policy priorities. key for the pursuit of sustainable addressing dynamic, non-linear development is “the reflexivity of and uncertain interactions between Innovating to improve citizen the political process... reflexive objectives, taking into account dis- involvement and engagement is also governance combines democratic essential, for instance in the context representation with processes of 2 Nikos Kastrinos. 2018. Do statistics need foresight? Arti- of goals such as SDG12 (sustain- cle published in Foresight.Vol.20 Issue 2, pp.137-149. able production and consumption), 3 Nesshöver, C., Ten Brink, P., & Balian, E. 2014. Summary report and recommendations on Improving the Science- which can only be achieved through Policy Interface for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Europe (contract: Ref No 07-0307/2013/661961/SER/B2). radical behavioural change. While 1 UNEP. 2017. Strengthening the science-policy interface. A Gap Analysis. 4 Funtowicz, S. and Ravetz, J., 1993. “Science for the post- the European public continues to normal age”, Futures, 31(7): 735-755. IEEP Summer Newsletter 2018 have a high level of trust for science, there is growing discomfort about the perceived lack of independence of science, its potential dangers and the lack of communications from scientists to the public.5 In Euro- barometer’s 2015 survey of public opinion, citizens expressed concerns about the drawbacks from science and technological change, including “privacy and data security concerns, unemployment, growing techno- logical dependency and deskilling, worsening of relationships, social exclusion, a sedentary lifestyle, and effects on the environment.”6 Figure 1: The Clustering of SDGs in the BOHEMIA study (2017) Unfortunately, the forthcoming European Commission reflection innovation. Sophisticated modelling its political and economic impacts. paper, “Towards a Sustainable and foresight will of course be What sets the IPCC apart from other Europe by 2030, on the follow-up conducted in order to formulate a independent scientific bodies, is to the UN Sustainable Development long-term climate action plan of the its dual nature of being also inter- Goals, including on the Paris EU. While climate action is essential governmental, which explains why Agreement on Climate Change”, to achieve the SDGs, it is not the IPCC reports are reviewed, modi- meant to set the strategic direction only planetary boundary we risk fied and then formally adopted by for Europe’s implementation breaching. Failing to consider other member governments of the IPCC. of SDGs, will not be based on a challenges might have detrimental quantitative analysis of Europe’s effects on achieving other SDGs, for It might be time for Europe to build distance from meeting the SDGs. It instance SDG15 (life on land). There on this success and establish a simi- will derive its political conclusions will surely be many interesting lar multidisciplinary body, dedicated from a number of sources including research projects pertaining to to Europe, encompassing all SDGs, recommendations from civil SDGs, but none that will provide whose independence would be society, a qualitative foresight consolidated views from science guaranteed by adequate statutes study conducted by the JRC and in order to inform policy-makers at and resources, and whose report Eurostat’s 2017 report on SDGs, the highest level. would be formally adopted by the which provides little information European Council to ensure neces- on distance from the targets. Given the current landscape, what sary political buy-in. Trend analysis and foresight were should the European Commission’s conducted in preparation for the reflection paper propose? It is hard This would certainly be a radical new research programme of the to imagine that the Paris agreement departure from business as usual, EU, Horizon Europe. However, these could have happened without the in line with the fundamentally dis- preparatory documents, including works of the Intergovernmental ruptive nature of the SDGs. the Bohemia study (see Figure 1), Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). are not part of the political debate The IPCC was set up by the World Post-2020 science-policy inter- and logically approach the SDGs Meteorological Organisation and face as well as other sustainability through the lens of research and UNEP, with high levels of political challenges will be discussed at the support from national governments upcoming Think 2030 conference, 5 European Commission. 2010. Special Eurobarometer. Science and Technology Report. http://ec.europa.eu/com- and, among other sources, funding taking place in Brussels on October mfrontoffice/publicopinion/archives/ebs/ebs_340_en.pdf. th th 6 European Commission. 2015. Eurobarometer Qualita- from the EU. Its task is to provide 17 and 18 , 2018. tive Study. PUBLIC OPINION ON FUTURE INNOVATIONS, the world with an objective, sci- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Aggregate Report. http:// ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/archives/ entific view of climate change and quali/ql_futureofscience_en.pdf. IEEP Summer Newsletter 2018 Think 2030 speakers and partners announced IEEP’s new Brussels sustainability platform,Think 2030, ommendations for the next European Commission, announces high-level speakers and partners. Parliament and for Member States. The conference will take place on October 17-18th, 2018, in Brussels. Convening a diverse range of stakeholders to discuss and propose solutions to Europe’s most pressing sus- tainability issues, Think 2030 will produce policy rec- Core Partner Knowledge and Stakeholder Partners Find out more on www.Think2030.eu IEEP Summer Newsletter 2018 17 October 2018 Stakeholder consultation and research community engagement © European Union 2018 - Source : EP © EEA 2018 Daniel Calleja Crespo Hans Bruyninckx Director General Executive Director DG ENV European Environment Agency 18 October 2018 Parliamentary workshop © Twitter/childp_child 2018 Patrick Anthony Child Sirpa Pietikäinen (both days) Deputy Director-General Honorary Chair of IEEP DG RTD Member of the European Parliament IEEP Summer Newsletter 2018 New appointments and presenting the IEEP Strategic Advisory Council Faustine Bas-Defossez and Ben Allen appointed to lead Agriculture and Land Management Programme We are pleased to announce Faus- that, she worked for the European played an integral role in develop- tine Bas-Defossez and Ben Allen Commission Directorate-General ing IEEP’s position on EU bioenergy have taken over leadership of our for Agriculture and Rural Develop- and biofuels policy from a land use Agriculture and Land Manage- ment on the European Food Aid for perspective, with links to the wider ment programme. Kaley Hart, who the most deprived programme and bio-economy in the EU and global stepped down from this position in the public