The present document reports the findings of the workshop on scanning emerging issues in and relevant for Energy science and technology with potentially high impact on policymaking in Europe, which took place in Brussels on the 29th November 2010 as part of the SESTI project activities. The workshop participants consisted of experts in energy issues, foresight researchers and European policy‐makers. Different DG’s of the European Commission were represented, in particular DG JRC and DG RTD. In the workshop the discussions circled around scanning emerging issues in and relevant for Energy science and
technology with potentially high impact on policy‐making in Europe.
D6.3.3 Energy: Weak Signals and Emerging Issues for European Policy
January 27, 2011 Leave a Comment
D6.3 Cognitive Enhancement: Weak Signals and Emerging Issues for European Policy
January 27, 2011 Leave a Comment
The present document reports the findings of the workshop on emerging issues and weak signals in cognitive enhancement (CE), which took place in Brussels on the 7th of June as part of the SESTI project activities. The workshop participants consisted of experts in human and cognitive enhancement, foresight researchers and European policy-makers. Different DG’s of the European Commission were represented, in particular DG INFSO and DG RTD. In the workshop it was discussed how to identify and process weak signals and define emerging issues relevant to policy by means of having a closer look at the topic of human enhancement (HE) and more specifically cognitive enhancement (CE).
D7.7.1 Cognitive Enhancement Workshop: Weak Signals and Emerging Issues for European Policy
January 26, 2011 Leave a Comment
In order to better anticipate future opportunities and threats, foresight and other forward-looking activities are often used to initiate discussions regarding future developments in policy circles. While these activities are quite effective at clarifying issues that are currently evolving, they are less effective in identifying emerging issues that are not yet on the policy radar. Events that seem to occur suddenly may actually have been preceded by subtle warning signals which were not detected through established mechanisms.
The SESTI project (Scanning for Emerging Science and Technology Issues) has developed a mechanism which can be used to identify weak signals and emerging issues in a systematic, efficient and effective way. It is also pursuing the application and implementation of such techniques by linking them in a meaningful way to existing policy processes.
This document reports the findings of the workshop on emerging issues and weak signals in Cognitive Enhancement, which was held in Brussels on the 7th of June, 2010 as part of the SESTI project activities.
D7.7.3 Final Papers on Emerging Issues (3) – Energy Workshop: Weak Signals and Emerging Issues for European Policy
January 25, 2011 Leave a Comment
In order to better anticipate future opportunities and threats, foresight and other forward-looking activities are often used to initiate discussions regarding future developments in policy circles. While these activities are quite effective at clarifying issues that are currently evolving, they are less effective in identifying emerging issues that are not yet on the policy radar. Events that seem to occur suddenly may actually have been preceded by subtle warning signals which were not detected through established mechanisms.
The SESTI project (Scanning for Emerging Science and Technology Issues) has developed a mechanism which can be used to identify weak signals and emerging issues in a systematic, efficient and effective way. It is also pursuing the application and implementation of such techniques by linking them in a meaningful way to existing policy processes.
This document reports the findings of the workshop on emerging issues and weak signals in Energy, which was held in Brussels on the 29th of November, 2010 as part of the SESTI project activities. The workshop was attended by an international panel of thematic experts, as well as national and EU-level policy-makers.
Identified Weak Signals and Emerging Issues
The scanning process developed by the SESTI project team led to the identification of a number of emerging issues, of which the following were selected for discussion at the thematic workshop and which might require special attention on the part of policymakers:
- Hybrid nuclear energy
- Renewables from the desert
- Biofuels, biomass and biomimicry
- Unknown risks of the hydrogen economy
- Digging deeper and farther.
D7.7.4 Final Papers on Emerging Issues (4) – Health Workshop: Weak Signals and Emerging Issues for European Policy
January 24, 2011 Leave a Comment
In order to better anticipate future opportunities and threats, foresight and other forward-looking activities are often used to initiate discussions regarding future developments in policy circles. While these activities are quite effective at clarifying issues that are currently evolving, they are less effective in identifying emerging issues that are not yet on the policy radar. Events that seem to occur suddenly may actually have been preceded by subtle warning signals which were not detected through established mechanisms.
The SESTI project (Scanning for Emerging Science and Technology Issues) has developed a mechanism which can be used to identify weak signals and emerging issues in a systematic, efficient and effective way. It is also pursuing the application and implementation of such techniques by linking them in a meaningful way to existing policy processes.
This document reports the findings of the workshop on emerging issues and weak signals in Health, which was held in Brussels on the 30th of November, 2010 as part of the SESTI project activities. The workshop was attended by an international panel of thematic experts, as well as national and EU-level policy-makers.
Identified Weak Signals and Emerging Issues
The scanning process developed by the SESTI project team led to the identification of a number of emerging issues, of which the following five were selected for discussion at the thematic workshop and which might require special attention on the part of policymakers:
- Diversification in medicine.
- Happy aging? Mental health in an ageing society.
- Obesity: the global epidemic marches on.
- Is prevention better than cure? Re-prioritising health research.
- Personalised treatment.
Survey about Emerging Issues
January 20, 2011 Leave a Comment
A survey with the title “Identifying Emerging Issues for Policy Makers” has been conducted in September 2010 in the context of the EC Project “Scanning for Emerging Science & Technology Issues” (SESTI) .
It has been especially aimed at professionals from the Foresight Community, Business innovators as well consultants to business and policy makers and has been advertised via related specialised groups related to foresight, business innovation and consulting, e.g. on LinkedIn.
The survey results indicate that there seems to be substantial consent among the expert respondents that the way we generate, manage, distribute and consume energy is about to change and needs further changes in order to cope with future challenges like global growing demand for energy, declining availability of fossil fuels, ensuring the safety and security of energy distribution and improvements of the environment (pollution, global warming).
