Responsible development of nanotechnologies has been discussed in Europe for last decade. The EU Horizon 2020 project GoNano is dedicated to the question of how different actors - from civil society to research and industry - can jointly develop visions about nanotechnology applications and products and integrate them into existing innovation and governance processes.
The European Commission's Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) concept emphasizes the importance of societal engagement in research and innovation processes. Through early-stage participation and cooperation between researchers, politicians, companies, civil society organizations and citizens, research and innovation should be aligned with the values, needs and expectations of broader society. The project GoNano (GOverning NANOtechnologies through societal engagement) aims to develop and test new approaches and forms of societal engagement in the design of nanotechnology applications.
Based on previous experiences with societal engagement in the field of emerging technologies, concrete applications of nanotechnologies will be discussed and developed in three pilot studies with participation of a variety of societal groups (citizens, stakeholders from business, politics and research). These pilot studies focus on the areas of nutrition, health and energy, and will be implemented in three European countries (Netherlands, Czech Republic, Spain). The aim of establishing and normalizing RRI outside of science in real-world contexts is at the core of the pilot studies.
The results of the pilot studies will contribute to the mainstreaming of RRI in research, innovation and governance processes. Recommendations will be derived that inform political actors on how RRI can be integrated into existing national and international technology policies, as well as how it can be used to inspire and guide applied researchers and industrial actors to seek societal dialogue at an early stage. GoNano aims at concrete changes in nanotechnology development processes with dedicated capacity-building services such as training programs (summer schools and webinars), as well as comprehensive information flow to and guidelines for citizens, civil society actors, product developers, researchers and other stakeholders. The European community of RRI practitioners is to be comprehensively strengthened throughout the project.
This EU project is coordinated by the Danish Technology Council (DBT) and includes nine other European partner institutions in the fields of Technology Assessment, university research, civil society organizations and industrial associations. The ITA will develop the project’s methodology for the pilot studies and formulate policy recommendations for the governance of innovation in nanotechnologies at the EU and national levels.
--> Durch Ko-Kreation können die Perspektiven unterschiedlicher Stakeholder kreativ und proaktiv miteinbezogen werden. Gemeinsam wird unterschiedliches Wissen genützt und damit auch Verbindlichkeit und Verantwortungsgefühl gefördert. --> Die Vielfalt an konkurrierenden Zieloptionen (z.B. Demokratisierung oder konkrete Produktentwicklung) erfordert eine Priorisierung und Positionierung des jeweiligen Ko-Kreationsprozesses. --> Die Beteiligung von Bürger*innen, Konsument*innen und Expert*innen erhöht die Effektivität des Prozesses; sie muss aber mit zusätzlichen Ressourcen unterstützt werden.
-> Wie fließen Themen rund um Gender und Diversität in die Diskussion, Entwicklung und Politik von Nanotechnologien ein? -> Was bedeutet „Gleichberechtigung der Geschlechter“, implizite Diskriminierung und Inklusion in den Bereichen MINT und Nano? -> Warum stellt der Rahmen “Frauen in der Wissenschaft“ auf Gender-Ebene eine implizite Diskriminierung dar? -> Go-Nano untersucht, wie es gelingt, durch Ko-Kreation möglichst viele Perspektiven in die Technikentwicklung einzubringen.
The present report provides an overview of the current policy context, recent developments and debates regardingrisk governance and regulations of nanotechnologies in Europe as well as the main research and innovationpriorities by European policies(H2020)and industries(European Technology Platforms). Thereport is Deliverable 1 of Work Package 5 “Governance andPolicy Outreach and Alignment” (Task 5.1 “Policy Monitoring and Alignment”)of the project GoNano and serves to ensure a strong degree of policy alignment of the project, specifically between the design of the pilot studies and relevant policy initiativesand debates. The screening of R&D policiesand industry priorities shows that nanotechnologies are supported to improve industrial competitivenessandto tackle several societalchallenges. Two of the areas covered by GoNano, i.e. health and energy, play an important role in the H2020’ssupport for nanotechnologies.Research and innovation of nanotechnologies havealsoentailed a range of new debates and institutions to deal with the uncertainties and potential side-effects of this technology. The screeningof EU risk governancereveals that many risk and regulatory issues are still unresolvedand will likely continue to exist.Therefore, it is a key task of the pilots to avoid a technology-fix position, in which nanotechnologies are framed as the (only)solution to a range of problem and risk and regulatory issues are understood as easily manageable.Rather than presuming that complete knowledge on the impacts of nanotechnologiescan be acquired and regulatedaccordingly, the pilots should raise questions along the line of “which uncertainties and risks are we willing to take in exchange of the benefits of nanotechnologies for food, health and energy?” In respect to the three pilot sectors, food, health and energy, the report provides the following conclusions: The envisioned applications of nanotechnology in the food industry appear rather limitedand in the short-term are related to food safety and security and food packaging. In the longer-term, nanotechnologies are expected to be used to realize functional foods. Debates on EHS issues and regulations, however,are particularly pronounced in the food sector with a range of sectoral regulations explicitly addressing nanotechnologies. The health sector is expected to experience major advancements thanks to nanotechnology. In therapeutics nanotechnologies offer the possibility for aprecise control on the release of drugs, reduce the side effects of therapies and to maximise the personalization and efficacy of therapies. Nano-electronics are expected to contribute tomore efficient, fast and site-specific, minimally invasive diagnostic and monitoring systems. Nano-assisted regenerative medicine is targete atimprovingtissue regeneration, develop cell-based therapies and new intelligent biomaterials. Also in the health sector, a range of EHS, unresolved uncertainties and risks to human healthare debated and included in existing and new regulations. The energy sector is expected tobenefit from nanotechnology mainly in terms of new structural and functional materials and devices, in particular for energy production (e.g. advanced photovoltaics), energy storage (batteries), and various applications for energy saving. Alarge group of applications in different sectors can be found that will allow to enhance energy efficiency, reduce energy in industrial processes, improve power distribution and miniaturize energy supply systems. So far, no specific regulations concerning nanotechnologies exist forthe energy sector.
Bechtold, U. (Speaker) & Fuchs, D. (Speaker)
Bauer, A. (Speaker), Fuchs, D. ((Co-)Author) & Bogner, A. ((Co-)Author)
09/2017 - 12/2020
