In a participatory style, various types of policy-relevant actors participate and communicate actively during the process of analysis, although the objectives and nature of participation can differ extensively from case to case. The consensus conference has attracted great interest from policy analysts, technology assessment (TA) institutions, and technology policy makers in Europe. The management of complex policy problems is determined by three strategic needs. Policy analysis requires: knowledge management, process management, and network management. The flow of policy-relevant information can be portrayed from the initiator via the policy analyst to the relevant societal stakeholders or participants. The consensus conference is a method to establish active public participation and consultation in science and technology. The interest in consensus conferences by organisations and institutions outside Denmark may partly be explained by developments in science and technology policy in Europe. Human genetics research has been the subject of TA in many countries such as Denmark, the UK and the United States.
This article addresses European energy policy through conventional and transformative sustainability approaches. The reader is guided towards an understanding of different renewable energy options that are available on the policy making table and how the policy choices have been shaped. In arguing that so far, European energy policy has been guided by conventional sustainability framework that focuses on eco-efficiency and ‘energy mix’, this article proposes greater reliance on circular economy (CE) and Cradle to Cradle (C2C) frameworks. Exploring the current European reliance on biofuels as a source of renewable energy, this article will provide recommendations for transition to transformative energy choices. http://dx.doi.org/10.13135/2384-8677/2331 https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
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Emissions from aviation will continue to increase in the future, in contradiction of global climate policy objectives. Yet, airlines and airline organisations suggest that aviation will become climatically sustainable. This paper investigates this paradox by reviewing fuel-efficiency gains since the 1960s in comparison to aviation growth, and by linking these results to technology discourses, based on a two-tiered approach tracing technology-focused discourses over 20 years (1994-2013). Findings indicate that a wide range of solutions to growing emissions from aviation have been presented by industry, hyped in global media, and subsequently vanished to be replaced by new technology discourses. Redundant discourses often linger in the public domain, where they continue to be associated with industry aspirations of 'sustainable aviation' and 'zero-emission flight'. The paper highlights and discusses a number of technology discourses that constitute 'technology myths', and the role these 'myths' may be playing in the enduring but flawed promise of sustainable aviation. We conclude that technology myths require policy-makers to interpret and take into account technical uncertainty, which may result in inaction that continues to delay much needed progress in climate policy for aviation.
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In recent years, disasters are increasing in numbers, location, intensity and impact; they have become more unpredictable due to climate change, raising questions about disaster preparedness and management. Attempts by government entities at limiting the impact of disasters are insufficient, awareness and action are urgently needed at the citizen level to create awareness, develop capacity, facilitate implementation of management plans and to coordinate local action at times of uncertainty. We need a cultural and behavioral change to create resilient citizens, communities, and environments. To develop and maintain new ways of thinking has to start by anticipating long-term bottom-up resilience and collaborations. We propose to develop a serious game on a physical tabletop that allows individuals and communities to work with a moderator and to simulate disasters and individual and collective action in their locality, to mimic real-world scenarios using game mechanics and to train trainers. Two companies–Stratsims, a company specialized in game development, and Society College, an organization that aims to strengthen society, combine their expertise as changemakers. They work with Professor Carola Hein (TU Delft), who has developed knowledge about questions of disaster and rebuilding worldwide and the conditions for meaningful and long-term disaster preparedness. The partners have already reached out to relevant communities in Amsterdam and the Netherlands, including UNUN, a network of Ukrainians in the Netherlands. Jaap de Goede, an experienced strategy simulation expert, will lead outreach activities in diverse communities to train trainers and moderate workshops. This game will be highly relevant for citizens to help grow awareness and capacity for preparing for and coping with disasters in a bottom-up fashion. The toolkit will be available for download and printing open access, and for purchase. The team will offer training and facilitate workshops working with local communities to initiate bottom-up change in policy making and planning.
There is increasing interest for the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in the field of sustainable transportation and urban development. Even though much has been said about the opportunities of using VR technology to enhance design and involve stakeholders in the process, implementations of VR technology are still limited. To bridge this gap, the urban intelligence team of NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences developed CycleSPEX, a Virtual Reality (VR) simulator for cycling. CycleSpex enables researchers, planners and policy makers to shape a variety of scenarios around knowledge- and design questions and test their impact on users experiences and behaviour, in this case (potential) cyclists. The impact of infrastructure enhancements as well as changes in the surrounding built environment can be tested, analysed an evaluated. The main advantage for planners and policy makers is that the VR environment enables them to test scenarios ex-ante in a safe and controlled setting.“The key to a smart, healthy and safe urban environment lies in engaging mobility. Healthy cities are often characterized by high quality facilities for the active modes. But what contributes to a pleasant cycling experience? CycleSPEX helps us to understand the relations between cyclists on the move and (designed) urban environments”
This project extends the knowledge and scope of carbon footprinting in tourism. Currently, the carbon footprint of holidaymakers is available as time-series based on the CVO (Continue Vakantie Onderzoek) for the years 2002, 2005 and all between 2008 and 2018. For one year, 2009, a report has also been written about inbound tourism. The carbon footprint of business travel has not been determined, whereas there has been considerable interest throughout the years from businesses to assess and mitigate their travel footprints. There is also increasing policy attention for travel footprints. In 2018, a modified setup of the CVO caused the need to revise our statistical model and correction factors to be developed to counter the potential effects of a trend-breach. The project aimed to check and improve the current syntax for Dutch holidaymakers, adjust the one for inbound tourism, and develop a new one for Dutch business travel. The project output includes a report on the carbon footprint of Dutch holidaymakers for 2018, on inbound tourism for 2014, and on Dutch business travel for 2016, based on the CVO, inbound tourim dataset, and CZO. The project ends with a workshop with stakeholders to identify the way forward in tourism carbon footprinting in the Netherlands (tools, applications, etc.)Project partners: NRIT Research, NBTC-NIPO Research, CBS
