Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies)
Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2024-12-31
The Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) provides independent scientific evidence and policy recommendations to the European institutions at the request of the College of Commissioners.
SAM consists of three parts:
• The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, comprising seven eminent scientists whose role is to make policy recommendations.
• SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies), a consortium of Europe’s Academy Networks, whose role is to review and synthesise evidence.
• The SAM secretariat, a unit within the European Commission.
SAPEA is funded by the EU through Horizon Europe. It comprises five European Academy Networks: Academia Europaea, ALLEA, Euro-CASE, FEAM and YASAS. SAPEA contributes to widening participation by mobilising its network of some 120 science academies from more than 40 countries across Europe, each with hundreds of Fellows.
SAPEA assembles interdisciplinary working groups of scientific experts who produce Evidence Review Reports, which inform the related Scientific Opinion of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors. Experts contribute on a voluntary basis, and the process is supported by Systematic Literature Reviews.
SAPEA follows a Strategy of Diversity and Inclusiveness, ensuring that each working group has the full range of interdisciplinary expertise necessary to cover the scope of the topic. This includes wide geographical coverage, involving Widening Countries, as well as gender diversity, an open and inclusive approach to involve experts who are not Academy Fellows as well as early, and the participation of early and mid-career researchers.
The work is guided by principles and procedures set out in the SAPEA Quality Assurance Guidelines.
SAM consists of three parts:
• The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, comprising seven eminent scientists whose role is to make policy recommendations.
• SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies), a consortium of Europe’s Academy Networks, whose role is to review and synthesise evidence.
• The SAM secretariat, a unit within the European Commission.
SAPEA is funded by the EU through Horizon Europe. It comprises five European Academy Networks: Academia Europaea, ALLEA, Euro-CASE, FEAM and YASAS. SAPEA contributes to widening participation by mobilising its network of some 120 science academies from more than 40 countries across Europe, each with hundreds of Fellows.
SAPEA assembles interdisciplinary working groups of scientific experts who produce Evidence Review Reports, which inform the related Scientific Opinion of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors. Experts contribute on a voluntary basis, and the process is supported by Systematic Literature Reviews.
SAPEA follows a Strategy of Diversity and Inclusiveness, ensuring that each working group has the full range of interdisciplinary expertise necessary to cover the scope of the topic. This includes wide geographical coverage, involving Widening Countries, as well as gender diversity, an open and inclusive approach to involve experts who are not Academy Fellows as well as early, and the participation of early and mid-career researchers.
The work is guided by principles and procedures set out in the SAPEA Quality Assurance Guidelines.
Since May 2022, SAPEA has published five Evidence Review Reports at the request of one of the EU-Commissioners:
1. 2022: ´Strategic crisis management in the EU´, in reply to the question ‘Based on a broad and multidisciplinary understanding, how can the EU improve its strategic crisis management?’.
2. 2023: ‘Sustainable food consumption’, in reply to the question ‘What tools could be used at EU level, in addition to those mentioned in the 2020 Farm-to-Fork Strategy, to overcome the barriers preventing consumers [from adopting] sustainable and healthy diets, fostering the necessary change towards sustainability in the food environment?’.
3. 2024: ‘Successful and timely uptake of artificial intelligence in science in the EU’, in reply to the question: ‘How can the European Commission accelerate a responsible uptake of AI in science (including providing access to high quality AI, respecting European Values) in order to boost the EU’s innovation and prosperity, strengthen EU’s position in science and ultimately contribute to solving Europe’s societal challenges?.
4. 2024: ‘One Health governance in the European Union’ in reply to the questions: ‘a) What governance models have been successful in applying One Health? b) What interdisciplinary arrangements have proven to be effective and what criteria have been proposed to measure progress towards One Health?, and c) What are good examples of successful One Health integration of environmental, urban planning, climate change adaptation and mitigation?’.
5. 2024: ‘Solar Radiation Modification’, in reply to the question ‘How to address the risks and opportunities associated with research on Solar Radiation Modification and with its potential deployment? What are the options for a governance system for research and potential deployment taking into account different SRM technologies and their scale?’
1. 2022: ´Strategic crisis management in the EU´, in reply to the question ‘Based on a broad and multidisciplinary understanding, how can the EU improve its strategic crisis management?’.
2. 2023: ‘Sustainable food consumption’, in reply to the question ‘What tools could be used at EU level, in addition to those mentioned in the 2020 Farm-to-Fork Strategy, to overcome the barriers preventing consumers [from adopting] sustainable and healthy diets, fostering the necessary change towards sustainability in the food environment?’.
3. 2024: ‘Successful and timely uptake of artificial intelligence in science in the EU’, in reply to the question: ‘How can the European Commission accelerate a responsible uptake of AI in science (including providing access to high quality AI, respecting European Values) in order to boost the EU’s innovation and prosperity, strengthen EU’s position in science and ultimately contribute to solving Europe’s societal challenges?.
4. 2024: ‘One Health governance in the European Union’ in reply to the questions: ‘a) What governance models have been successful in applying One Health? b) What interdisciplinary arrangements have proven to be effective and what criteria have been proposed to measure progress towards One Health?, and c) What are good examples of successful One Health integration of environmental, urban planning, climate change adaptation and mitigation?’.
5. 2024: ‘Solar Radiation Modification’, in reply to the question ‘How to address the risks and opportunities associated with research on Solar Radiation Modification and with its potential deployment? What are the options for a governance system for research and potential deployment taking into account different SRM technologies and their scale?’
SAPEA enhances the capacity of sound evidence-based policy-making in the EU by delivering five timely, high-quality Evidence Review Reports. These reports have facilitated the preparation of Scientific Opinions of the Group of the Chief Scientific Advisors. The Advice was presented to and discussed with the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, policy-makers across Europe, the academies, the scientific community, other stakeholders, and the wider society.
To further foster policy uptake and impact, this open and inclusive dialogue about the published advice —and the role of science advice in general—continues in the successor SAPEA project.
In addition, the following key results have been published:
• Quality assurance guidelines, 2023
• SAM Communications strategy 2022-2024
• Strategic development plan for SAPEA, 2024
• Interaction of academies on science advice: A report on six workshops, 2024
• European academies: Overview and summary of the academy survey, 2024
• Report on challenges for early and mid-career researchers in the provision of science advice, 2024
• Strategy to increase the involvement of early- and mid-career researchers in SAPEA, 2024
Furthermore, SAPEA produces the world’s only podcast focused on the role of science advice with an audience of around 900 monthly listeners.
To further foster policy uptake and impact, this open and inclusive dialogue about the published advice —and the role of science advice in general—continues in the successor SAPEA project.
In addition, the following key results have been published:
• Quality assurance guidelines, 2023
• SAM Communications strategy 2022-2024
• Strategic development plan for SAPEA, 2024
• Interaction of academies on science advice: A report on six workshops, 2024
• European academies: Overview and summary of the academy survey, 2024
• Report on challenges for early and mid-career researchers in the provision of science advice, 2024
• Strategy to increase the involvement of early- and mid-career researchers in SAPEA, 2024
Furthermore, SAPEA produces the world’s only podcast focused on the role of science advice with an audience of around 900 monthly listeners.