The Socioeconomic Sciences Research for

1
The Socio-economic Sciences Research for
Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable
DevelopmentA challenge for European
researchBrussels, 26-28 May 2009
European Commission DG Research P. VALETTE and D.
ROSSETTI
2
SSH Research for Sustainable Development

• Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) strategy
  for Sustainable Development is aiming at
• Addressing SD in one specific Activity (which
  also include social cohesion) merging SD into
  other SSH Activities (Europe in the World,
  Indicators, Foresight)
• Understanding and comparing societal models
  (world regions) regarding the sustainability
  aspects
• Developing new concepts for the integration of
  sustainability in future societal developments
• Building indicators, accounting and modelling
  frameworks, able to assess impacts of policies
  and technologies and to make forecast and
  foresight.

3
SSH Research for Sustainable
Development

• The integration of sustainability is focused on
  2 main issues
• Combining sustainability objectives with
  societal challenges, e.g. access to natural
  resources (energy, water, food), adaptation to
  global changes (climate), territorial dynamics,
  paradigm shift and behaviour, urban and rural
  development, regional cohesion, globalisation and
  geopolitics
• Strengthening impact assessment of policies,
  measures and technologies through the
  internalisation of social and environmental
  externalities in the cost and benefit analysis as
  well as in the foresight exercises.

4
SD in SSH research A process

• A process (Roadmap) is implemented for defining
  the future SSH research programme (from 2007 to
  2013)
• It is driven by knowledge creation opportunities
  and policy needs, taking into account vision of
  the future
• Main areas for SD have been indicated by JM.
  Baer
• Forward-looking activities are crucial for SD
  strategy definition and implementation
• Quantitative and qualitative aspects are
  addressed which imply development of tools.

5
Examples of projects funded by SSH (2007-2008)

• Evaluation of societal models including
  historical patterns of development, institutional
  changes (ICATSEM and GUSTO) and development
  issues (HI-POD and MEDEA)
• Interactions among different SD components
  (CONSENSUS, SMILE, POINT)
• Regional development with a focus on rural areas
  and CAP impacts (CAP-IRE, DERREG, RUFUS)
• Regional innovation (FRIDA) and governance
  systems (SHRINKSMART)
• Post carbon society and long term SD modelling
  including behavioural aspects and consumption
  patterns (PACT and GILDED)

6
Subjects covered by SSH(2009)

• Growth and sustainability policies
• Paradigm shift in the energy-transport-environment
  nexus and territory
• Sustainable cities in Europe (mobility and land
  use) and in emerging countries (participatory
  urban planning)
• Inequalities in wealth and their social,
  political and cultural impacts
• Geopolitical challenges for access to natural
  resources
• Climate change and water stress

7
Impact Assessment

• First concrete integration of SD into EU policies
• Evidence-based policy-making
• Better EU Governance
• A basis for financial perspectives 2013-2020
• Both methods are needed
• - Quantitative (operational and expert-based)
• - Qualitative (reflexive and participatory)

8
Prospective and SD
Source D. Rossetti
9
Sustainable Developmentmethods

• Quantitative methods
• Top-down and Bottom-up models (eg. GEM-E3,
  NEMESIS, PRIMES, POLES), Quantification and
  monetary evaluation of external costs (eg.
  ExternE), Accounting frameworks and databases
  (eg. EU-KLEMS, SAFIRE, MURE)
• Qualitative methods
• Delphi method, Scenario stories, Public opinion
• perception, New indicators, Participatory methods
  
• (Civil Society Organisations)

10
SD subjects
(indicative) of SSH 2010

• New types of projects will start in 2010, based
  on societal challenges
• wider community of research and users, higher
  budget and longer period
• stocktaking and forward looking activities
• Strong exploitation of knowledge for
  policy-making
• Technical topics are maintained
• Financial, economic and social crisis is
  addressed within the EU strategy on Growth and
  Jobs (post 2010)
• Socio-ecological transition and the new ERA
  strategy are also drivers of the SD research in
  SSH

11
SD subjects (indicative) of SSH 2010

• Creating and adapting jobs in Europe in the
  context of a socio-ecological transition
• Adaptation to global changes (climate in
  particular)
• Local welfare systems favouring social cohesion
  in cities
• EU regions and their interaction with the
  neighbourhood regions
• Social Platform on Sustainable Lifestyles
• Support to the Spanish Presidency initiative on
  science and poverty

12

• This programme is your programme !