The IPTS Report - July 1997
The latest edition of The IPTS Report, the monthly journal published by the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, contains a number of articles addressing current interests in the environmental field. The foreword, by Commissioner Edith Cresson, details the Commission's work on water. In particular, she outlines the activities which have resulted from the work of the Environment/Water Task Force, established in 1995 to improve coordination of research in the field. The Commission presented an action plan on water resources at the beginning of 1997, which will be a major contribution to the development of a key action on water in the Fifth Framework Programme. Other articles address the application of biotechnology in pulp and paper processing, using carbon dioxide removal techniques to help meet CO2 emissions reduction targets, and promoting environmental objectives through standardization at European level. An article on innovation policy addresses the recent trends towards a cluster-based approach to innovation, whereby existing strengths in an economy are reinforced and intensified. The cluster approach is particularly valuable in facilitating knowledge transfer and knowledge pooling. A final article looks at the latest developments in technologies for distance learning, and analyses the opportunities and problems for the user.