CORDIS Archive

Topic 3

Responding to the challenges of global climate change through RTD policy

• Background
• Description of topic (terms of reference)
• Members of the working group
• Reports and documents
• Events and conferences

Background

• detecting and predicting climate change and its effects on the environment
• mitigating anthropogenic contributions to climate change; and
• adapting to climate change and its impacts.

Dealing with uncertainty is a common feature of the three elements above. For the proposed ETAN action a particularly important form of uncertainty regards the readiness of our socio-economic systems to develop, diffuse and use appropriate technologies and implement appropriate policy options when faced with urgent need to change (e.g. in face of extreme weather events).

Detection and prediction

This is mainly a task for fundamental research, which has been at the forefront in alerting society about the risk of global warming. Science and technology policy has a long tradition in this field, including the development of monitoring and other relevant technologies.

Mitigation

Science and technology policy responses have been largely focused on the development of options for reducing human contribution to climate change, namely greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. International, European, and national institutional frameworks have been set-up, and political commitments have been taken(1) or are being negotiated. Those commitments pose challenges and opportunities for technological innovation, for Europe s industry and society. If delivering the commitments under existing socio-economic conditions is one challenge, another is to achieve the socio-economic conditions to take full advantage of the opportunities.

1. At the EU level, the Council decisions of March and May 1997 set EU emission reduction targets for CO2 and other GHGs (15 % by 2010 as compared to 1990 levels). At the global level, the Framework Convention on Climate Change -FCCC- of 1992 and its Berlin Mandate provide the legal and political basis of international action on climate.

Adaptation

The development of adaptation strategies also takes place in the context of existing and future policy commitments, but with a focus on the need to deal with possible adverse impacts of climate change on economic sectors, regions and ecosystems. As it is the case for mitigation strategies, adaptation strategies are faced with a broad range of uncertainties over the urgency and seriousness of the problem and the distributive implications of adaptation options (e.g. who takes responsibility and what are the costs and benefits?).

Science and technological change

Science and technology are involved in all aspects of the climate change problem. Detection and prediction of climate change are based on scientific progress and technological development (e.g. in the fields of coupled models and remote sensing). At a different level, the success of mitigation and adaptation strategies is linked to technological change (including further development and diffusion of existing technologies, their applications to new domains, and the development and diffusion of new technologies).

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Description of topic - terms of reference

Based on consolidation of expertise and experience, this ETAN action will aim at identifying key options, orientations and priorities for European RTD policy. In particular it will address the following questions.

Background questions

What ranges of change -provided by the available models and scenarios- are relevant to the EU position on targets and options for responding to climate change? (E.g. ranges of temperature/climate change, of expected severity and distribution of climate impacts on sectors and regions, of emission reduction potential of different technologies and policy measures).

What are the policy response options currently focused on ? Which ones are already implemented and which ones are at the early stage of formulation ? To what policy and economic domains do they refer to ? What technological change do the different policy options imply? (For instance, further development of existing technologies, application to new sectors, generation and diffusion of new technologies).

Identifying and addressing key issues and options for RTD policy

• Questions related to technological developments needed to address climate change

Which technologies can assist in coping with cumulative, gradual change and which ones can help in handling extreme events?

What are the mechanisms to promote technological developments that can enhance the ability of key economic sectors to adapt to climate impacts?

What are the most appropriate technological developments and mechanisms (including incentives, behavioural changes etc.) to promote the decoupling of economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions?

• Questions related to research and innovation policy instruments

What are the best methods for supporting both supply and demand side policies through RTD? (e.g. development of new energy production or water desalinisation technologies together with energy or water demand management schemes).

Through what means should European RTD policy encourage the development of technological alternatives to mitigate climate change and to implement adaptation strategies if/when/where needed? (e.g. direct and indirect incentives for RTD, institution-building, diffusion of best practices, intellectual property rights regimes).

• Questions related to the interface between RTD and other relevant policies

To what extent do these interactions promote, and to what extent do they hamper, the development of European competitiveness in relevant industries and economic sectors?

What are the best mechanisms to assess and enhance both the economic and institutional feasibility, and the social acceptability of technology- and other policy options intended to tackle emissions reduction and adaptation? (e.g. economic incentives, regulatory practices, diffusion campaigns etc. - taking into account experience with the use of such mechanisms and their effectiveness).

What are the appropriate technology transfer/sharing mechanisms and financial transfers for the diffusion of "carbon-free" technologies in economies in transition and developing countries?

• Questions on future needs and priorities

What would be the most appropriate institutional mechanisms and/or activities for technology monitoring and assessment in Europe in relation to climate change?

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Members of the working group

Angela Liberatore
European Commission
DGXII-D - SDME 07/71
Rue de la loi, 200
B-1049 Bruxelles
E-mail: angela.liberatore@ec.europa.eu

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Reports and Documents

ETAN Working Paper: "Climate change and the challenge for research and technological development policy"

Events and conferences

MORE-14 - Seminar on "Global Climate Change' - research on RTD policy in the EU and its meaning for insurance", 16-17 September 1999, London, UK