Long-term forward thinking for a green economy. A multi-stakeholder based study in the area of engineering

Project facts

Project promoter:
University of Barcelona
Project Number:
ES07-0088
Target groups
Researchers or scientists
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€37,800
Final project cost:
€37,800
From EEA Grants:
€ 37,800
The project is carried out in:
Spain

Description

Long-term future time perspectives of stakeholders need to be in line with social and economic scenarios for a sustainable developed based future. The Project will research the divergences between the subjective experience of the current situation and the subjective “experience” of the situation described in long-term scenarios related to certain environmental issues. The researchers propose to focus on the engineering area, concretely with stakeholders in higher education, local and regional authorities and professional bodies. Partnership will use proven methodologies for the study of the individual from a complexity-based perspective. The project promoter researcher from University of Barcelona has a broad, international and extensive education in this interdisciplinary research area. Donor partner, Prof. Jacobsen from University of Nordland, is a distinguished researcher in the area of ecological economics and has succeeded in building a well renowned education program in ecological economics. The main beneficiary of the project will be the scientific community.

Summary of project results

Short-term thinking has been pointed out as predominant amongst stakeholders. There are usually short-term interests at stake in a context of rapid changes. However, a long-term based approach is fundamental to develop new models of development in the context of sustainable development. On the basis of the scarcity of knowledge on long-term perspective under this context, it is important to fine-tune perspectives in stakeholders, with a long term future in stakeholders as a first step for implementing a green energy based future. Furthermore, this is proposed and needed under the paradigm that aims at pointing out an approach that goes beyond traditional and conservative approaches to the green economy and therefore considers new emergent models of development. The project implementation involved a varied set of activities involving researchers and stakeholders as well: the creation of a forum (http://forumforthefutur.wordpress.com/about/), providing access to specific information about it and to a platform for discussion amongst stakeholders; literature review on Foresight and forward looking approaches in the context of sustainable development and green economy; development of a stakeholder database; two workshops on future thinking at master level; a questionnaire on the topic; a PhD course on forward thinking was designed and proposed for implementation; interviews were carried out with energy companies, experts and local government organizations in Nordland; a forward thinking methodology workshop was submitted to the energy company in Nordland. Partners participated in several seminars and Conferences in order to present the project, such as the Directorate BERAS at Jarna (Sweden); the Artic Dialogue at the University of Nordland with stakeholders; colloquiums with students; and others. They also contacted and discussed with representatives from different institutions, such as public authorities, companies, and other researchers. Several scientific papers have been prepared and submitted, some of them already published. According to the promoter, main beneficiaries of these activities and results shall be the stakeholders in the context of higher education and in engineering and development, and students in the field of development and integration of forward thinking for a green economy at master and PhD level. The activity shall continue through the development of workshops in master courses in technology based courses.

Summary of bilateral results

The project was developed in cooperation by the grantee and host researchers. Within the project, a varied set of seminars and workshops was performed, and different stakeholders and researchers were contacted for research and activity development purposes. The online forum created by partners, together with the participation in seminars and conferences and other dissemination activities performed, contributed to a higher visibility of the project and its results. Activity shall continue, in the form of further research and training activities. After the project development, the grantee was hired by the host institution.