rescue general presentation_2010-09-06-for-ea-gcr

8/7/2019 RESCUE general presentation_2010-09-06-for-EA-GCR

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RESCUE foresight initiativeResponses to Environmental and Societal

Challenges for our Unstable Earth

ForwardLook

RESCUE

www.esf.org/rescue

ESF-COST Frontier of Science

initiative & ESF Forward Look

developed after a request from the French CNRS

ESF European Science Foundation COST European Cooperation in Science & Technology

September 2009 March 2011

[email protected]

RESCU

E

Lastupdate:6thSep

te

ber2010
http://www.esf.org/rescuemailto:[email protected]://www.esf.org/home.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.esf.org/rescue


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Strategic process for natural, social & human sciences to improve

their interdisciplinary synergy and to respond efficiently to societal

and policy-relevant needs;

New scientific issues related to global change, especially those of

trans-disciplinary nature or of major society-driven relevance;

New approaches towards interdisciplinary science, & to facilitate

the revolution in education and capacity building it requires.

ensuring strategic scientific advice and approaches for

sustainable development & global sustainability governance

Chair: Prof. Leen Hordijk (EC-JRC Institute for Environment &

Sustainability, IT)

Vice-Chair: Prof. Gsli Plsson (Social & Environmental

Anthropology, University of Iceland, IS)

RESCUE Objectives

RESC

UEo

bjectivesan

dle

ad

ers

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http://www.esf.org/home.html


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WG New, emerging and neglected scientific

questions in RESCUE remitLeader: Prof. Joseph Alcamo

In close cooperation with the ICSU Grand Challenges in Global

Sustainability Research and linked to the Belmont Challenge Group

- with a Delphi consultation on science questions

- Survey of the strategies developed by key stakeholders

- new dedicated activities to be organised with major actors

Articulate scientific GCR-related issues, esp. society-driven ones:

Identify emerging, new or neglected areas

Develop recommendations about research & governance priorities

Develop recommendations about the institutions and proceduresfor carrying out global change research

Propose ideas for funding and support mechanisms as incentives

to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects in Europe

within a global context.

RE

SCUEWorkingGroups

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RESCUE should build on the ICSU visioning exercise and the

Belmont Challenge in the most useful well, without undertaking a

major effort (which would not be feasible in the RESCUE

timeframe), and without compromising the RESCUE mission

expected from the RESCUE initial stakeholders

RESCUE WGs and RESCUE as a whole should include specific

recommendations on how to best tackle the European

implementation of the research activities associated to the ICSU

Grand Challenges

RESCUE WGs should examine what could be the impact of those

research activities, taking into account the multi-culturalism

existing in Europe

RESCUE WGs should examine critically some specific ICSU

questions to test and integrate them in their own work

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TaskForce

Scienc

eQuestions

Science Questions - Key Actions suggested(by the RESCUE leaders)


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RE

SCUEWorkingGroups

WG Collaboration between the natural,

social and human sciences in GCRLeaders: Prof. Michael Goodsite, Prof. Sierd

Cloetingh and Prof. Poul Holm

Develop a strategic vision to break down individual & institutional

barriers that hamper collaboration between scientific disciplines.

What should the balance be between classical discipline-basedresearch and inter-disciplinary research?

How is it possible to trigger effective and fruitful collaboration at

the interface between different fields?

What means exist to identify and mobilise disciplinary scientists,

funding agencies and stakeholders to participate and contribute to

this joint effort right from the start?

How can best practices be promoted between European research

organisations to fund activities that could better contribute to

solving the RESCUE challenges?

Examples of key questions

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Initial objectives

Address the 10 initial questions related to collaboration

These dealt with:

Practice (what is it, are we doing, need to do?)

Programming (How and what to fund)Balance (Between classical mono-disciplines and scalars

involved)

Preliminary WG recommendations

Definitions of interdisciplinarity: RITE model The critical role of research councils in defining areas of

research that support a "broad church" approach to

interdisciplinarity

Differences that emerge from different disciplinary

perspectives

WG Collaboration

RESCUETemp

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WGinputs(1

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WG Comments & Suggestions

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RESCUETemp

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General Comments

Radically Inter and Trans-disciplinary Environments (RITE) for

European Global Change Research: demonstrates that

interdisciplinary research adds at least as much value to GCR

Suggestions to other WGs

Areas where interdisciplinarity add value defined as well as

areas where mono-disciplinary expertise needed

Lessons learned in the process

Need for social sciences, ethics and humanities to be involved

in creating the spaces of interdisciplinary, its terms of reference

and forms of articulation from the beginning


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Tourism, ICT

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Urban development

Environment

Social cohesion

Coping with change

Cultural acceptance

Media

Heritage

Analytical power

Value system for

GCR

Pride

Social Reference

System

Human ReferenceSystem

Natural Reference

System

EnvironmentalReference System

We need a convergence of Reference Systems a systems approach

Keywords between

the systems need

review

A systems approach is not always an interdisciplinary approach!


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WG Requirements for research

methodologies and dataLeaders: Prof. Claudia Pahl-Wostl; Prof. Theo Toonen

Global change science is crucially dependent on observing and

monitoring many natural, social & human processes, AND on

conceptualising & modelling them at different space & time scales

Assess current state of methodological & data related challenges(strengths, weaknesses, inventory, standardisation, integration of

the human dimension)

Identify major gaps and alternatives/extensions and need for

methodological innovation

Identify major weaknesses and knowledge gaps in data bases

available for global change research

Develop guidance on methods and data; key requirements for

design and implementation of global integrated assessments

Develop list of priority actions to improve the current situation

RE

SCUEWorkingGroups

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Recommendations (Characteristics)

Overcome lack of Social Engagement in GEC- Strengthen mechanisms for Engagement/ Participatory Processes(creating an environment where consumers become citizens)- Make tools /toolkits available and usable for the public

Global (multi-level) Governance

- Support global and regional foresight studies- Research into robust decision making methods- Research into Institutional design for sustainable resourcemanagement (multi-scale, multi-sector) and use includingcapturing valuable data

Assessing Vulnerability- Funding of Long term research on anticipating extraordinary(unexpected) events (knowledge concerning mapping).- Support Disaster Risk Mapping including differential socialvulnerability


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Recommendations (Transitions)

Support long-term studies change funding structure (database infrastructure, action research programmes)

Laboratories for integrated approaches

Data, Information, Knowledge base as common pool resource

base for wide ranging comparative case study analyses

Improve access to and comparability of large data sets

Develop Tools/methods for monitoring change and embed

them in societal context (evolutionary perspectives on change)

/


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WG Towards a revolution in education

and capacity buildingLeaders: Prof. Karen OBrien; Prof. Jonathan Reams

In education as in science related to global change, the dualism of

nature and culture is a greate challenge for the next generation of

researchers and citizens

to design, test, evaluate and diffuse a learning-by-doing processto develop a vision for a revolution in education and capacity

building and to facilitate a sustainable future.

growing recognition that responses to environmental and social

challenges require new and visionary approaches to interdisciplinary

science, more than a new type of global change curriculum that

includes courses from the natural, social and human sciences.

requires transformational changes at the individual and collective

levels that include enhanced capacities to understand complex and

interacting processes.

RE

SCUEWorkingGroups

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Types of questions we were asked to address

How to intensify the discourse between natural and physical

sciences & social and human sciences?

Perspectives of research careers for young researchers?

Barriers that deter the young researchers from interdisciplinary

routes and the incentives to bring them on this route? How to create and nurture individual and institutional

mechanisms to ensure transdisciplinary educative approaches?

How to fill the gaps in trans-disciplinary education at the

university level affecting the capacity in inter-disciplinaryresearch in Europe?

How could ESF and its partners add their voices to change the

universitys mindset and curricula in insuring proper

interdisciplinary research and education?


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Change of perspective needed!

It is not just about changing the system, but also about changing

the way of looking at the system of education and capacity

building by those with the power to make changes happen


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Key Factors

1: Education for social transformation

2: Multi-dimensionalizing environmentalissues

3: An open future

4: Education for political change


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Foresight: Visioning a Capacity Revolution

The Goal: To change the way we think, and in doingso, change our capacity to learn and act.

The Problem: A discontinuity exists between the past

and the future. The emergence of new, potentiallypowerful capabilities for learning and acting existsalongside evidence that existing capacities to learnand act are inadequate, even dysfunctional to the

point of being dangerous.The Challenge: Can we imagine changes in the

conditions of change?

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WG Interface between science and policy,

communication and outreachor Opening science for a knowledge democracy

Leaders: Dr. Jill Jger; Prof. Frans Berkhout

Future of knowledge systems: open; diverse; problem-oriented;

implementation-oriented; transformative; responsible; accountable

Work domains:

Develop best practices, scientific consensus and targets that could

feed into research policy development for the benefit of policy

makers and other stakeholders

RESCUEWorkingGroups

Organising/running science Incentives for stakeholders and Metrics Learning and feedbacks The demand for and use of knowledge Processes of engagement New challenges, New problems and tensions Redistribution of power and authority

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VISION RD4SD

Analysis of how research systems (i.e.

organisations, programmes and policies) are

responsive to sustainability requirements.

Proposals for monitoring and enhancing this

response.

Iterative, structured dialogue between R&D

policy makers, with support of sustainability

scientists.


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Far-Reaching Institutional Change

Example:

There is an immediate need to design and establish long-term

funding programmes (10 years and more) that are not subject

to change at every national election.

This will require cross-sectoral cooperation among two or more

ministries (e.g. Ministry for Research + Ministry for Energy,

Rural Development & Transportation + Ministry forDevelopment Cooperation) to support the long-term and

implementation-oriented character of those programmes.


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Reliable Funding

Example:Changes in the funding and allocation system have to be made in

response to the needs of stakeholders and the complex

character of sustainability and global change research.

A proper evaluation system for integrative research on societal

themes is needed together with further development and

testing of concepts, methods and tools for implementation-

oriented research for sustainability.

Science funders need to devise and implement procedures forbringing more societal actors into the process of funding

decisions.


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Commitment to Engagement and

Communication

Example:

As a first step, a set of 10-20 long-term demonstration projects

covering different world regions and scales, sustainability

needs/problem domains and policy contexts should be set upacross the world to demonstrate viable / working

mechanisms of engagement and cooperation in knowledge

production, learning and evaluation while tackling concrete

sustainability concerns. These demonstration projects should

be carefully monitored and regularly compared and theirprocesses and results should be disseminated widely.


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Building Capacity (to learn)

Example:

It is of central importance to provide large-scale and long-term

career incentives for (young) scientists working in these fields.

There are encouraging developments that could bestrengthened but much more is needed, including providing

real credit for getting your hands dirty.

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Dr. Patrick Monfray (FR), initiator agency (CNRS) representative

Prof. Alan Jones (IE), LESC member

Prof. Luisa Lima (PT), SCSS member

Prof. Ulrike Landfester (CH), SCH member

Prof. Ole John Nielsen (DK); Prof. M. Kaminska (PL), PESC members

Dr. Ipek Erzi (TK), ESSEM Vice-Chair;J. Ingram (UK), ESSEM member

Prof. Gran Collste (SE), ISCH member

Prof. Giuseppe Scarascia-Mugnozza (IT), FPS member

Dr. Marc Heppener (ESF), Dir. of Science & Strategy Development Dr. Matthias Haury (COST), Head of Science Operations

In cooperation with: ICSU, ISSC, GCR programmes & ESSP, European

Alliance for GCR, science funding and performing agencies, EC

RESCUE Quality Reference Group (QRG) set up to ensure the optimal quality and impact ofthe RESCUE activities and outputs

RESCU

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ferenceGrou

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RESCUE membership (SSC, WGs, QRG)

disciplinary distribution

RESCUEmem

bers

hip-dis

cip

linary

distribution

4%

32%

33%

18%

3% 10%

Geosciences Environmental sciences

Social sciences Humanities

Technological sciences Foresight

Humanities

and Social

Sciences51%

/

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Provisional RESCUE timeline (1/2)

ESFForesightActiv

ities

RESCUEtime

line

/

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Provisional RESCUE timeline (2/2)

ESFForesightActiv

ities

RESCUEtime

line

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RESCUEco

ntacts

Forward Looks enable Europes scientific community, in interaction

with policy makers, to develop mid- to long-term views and analyses

of future research developments with the aim of defining research

agendas on national and European level.

European Science Foundation (ESF)

Dr. Bernard Avril

Life, Earth & Environmental Sciences (LESC)

Email: [email protected]; Website: www.esf.org/rescue

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)

Dr. Carine Petit

Earth System Science & Environmental Management (ESSEM)

Email: [email protected]

ESF-COST Frontier of Science initiative

RESCUE Contacts


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General Forward Look Goals

Forward Looks provide medium to long-termauthoritative visions on science perspectives in

broad areas of research bringing together ESF

Member Organisations, other research institutions

and the scientific community, in creative interaction.

Forward Look reports and other

outputs such as Science Policy

Briefings assist policy makers andresearchers in setting priorities and

in defining and implementing

optimal research agendas.

E

SFForesig

htActivities


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Typical Forward Look

Design State-of-the-Art review

Current state of research in the area and highlights of the major advances

in the last years

Scientific challenges Impact of those advances on the research agenda

Indication of major knowledge gaps and potential hot topics Identification of European strength and weakness

Vision Presentation of a vision with major goals that could provide directions for

research in the medium and long term time frame

Implementation plan (in terms of infrastructure, institutional innovation,human resources, governance)

Impact and Follow-up Key stakeholders likely to play a key role in the implementation

Targeted recommendations

Follow-up mechanism to ensure delivery and avoid risks

E

SFForesig

htActivities


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Typical Forward Looks

Format

Activities include preparatory study/expert groups, high level overview

papers, workshops and meetings

Main event: high visibility conference

Outputs: Policy Briefings, major reports,

action plans

Scientific Steering Committee: 8-12 p.

Lead time: 12-18 months

Average budget: 120-240 k

E

SFForesig

htActivities

Th F i ht Di d

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Semi-quantitative (10) applyingmathematical principles to process

subjective knowledge (i.e.

weighting ideas, systems theory)

Strongly influenced by imagination

Strongly

influenced byexperiences and

knowledge

sharing

Strongly

influenced by

discussions and

knowledge

exchange

Strongly influenced by facts & data

Modelling

Extrapolation

Indicators

Benchmarking

Quantitative (6) if theactivity uses or is based on

reliable numerical data (i.e.

statistical information)

Cross-impact

Bibliometrics

The Foresight Diamond

Creativity

InteractionExpertise

Evidence

Science fiction

Scanning

Qualitative (17) relying less onnumbers and statistics (i.e.

subjective reports, synthesis and

evaluation of ideas or documents)

Brainstorming

Essays / Scenario writing

Conferences / Seminars

Wild cards

SWOT analysis

Expert Panels

Genius forecasting

Scenario workshop

Morphological analysis

Interviews

Literature review

Citizen Panels

Relevance trees / Logic charts

Backcasting

Role Play/Acting

Roadmapping

Quantitative Scenarios/SMIC

Delphi

System/Structural analysis

Voting / Polling

Gaming-simulation

Stakeholders Mapping

Key/Critical technologies Multi-criteria

Patent analysisESFForesightActivities

ForesightActivities

Used in

RESCUE

rescue general presentation_2010-09-06-for-ea-gcr

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