Description:

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) urgently need climate mitigation and adaptation solutions due to rising temperatures, intensified storms, altered rainfall, sea-level rise and high vulnerabilities and dependencies of their carbon intense economies. However, limited technology access—together with human resources, investment, and data gaps—is one of the main barriers to mitigation and adaptation action in SIDS. An UN-led process called Technology Needs Assessments (TNA) to identify and prioritize climate solutions has recently begun in Pacific Island countries. TNAs aim to foster action-oriented outcomes and spur technology transfer while building capacity, diffusion strategies, and investment-ready projects. This presentation examines TNAs in several Pacific Island countries by synthesizing prioritized solutions, analyzing trends in weighting criteria and sectors, evaluating participatory methods and analyzing the outcome potential of TNAs. Drawing on TNA reports and qualitative interviews, I will provide insights on climate technology prioritization and recommendations for TNAs in small island contexts.

Authors and their affiliations:

Christoph Henrich (University of the South Pacific)

Main Speaker: Christoph Henrich

Description:

Technology assessment (TA) in Korea began in the early 2000s under the leadership of the Ministry of Science and Technology, in accordance with ministry regulations, and has been implemented by affiliated agencies for over 20 years. Korea’s TA framework differs from that of Western European countries, where TA is more closely linked to parliamentary activities, as it is led by the administration. The administration has strong executive capabilities in shaping technology innovation policies and exerts significant influence over both the planning and utilization of TA results. Additionally, there is a prevailing tendency for the administration to expect TA to quickly provide alternatives that can be pursued as government-led initiatives. However, whether this government-driven TA model is truly effective in addressing societal challenges remains uncertain. Moving forward, TA should not only support administrative decision-making for technological innovation but also promote ethical judgment and political participation among various stakeholders within the system. This study examines the strengths and limitations of Korea’s TA system and presents recommendations for future improvements.

Authors and their affiliations:

Jiyoung Suh (Science & Technology Policy Institute, STEPI)

Main Speaker: Jiyoung Suh

Description:

In Japan, technology assessment was sporadically conducted by the government and companies in the 1970s, but was rarely incorporated into policymaking or corporate management in an explicit manner. In the 2000s, with the need for evidence-based policy making, TA began again to be utilized. Though the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP)  has been conducting Delphi surveys since 1971, for the first time, the results were explicitly used in the “3rd Science and Technology Basic Plan” of the Japanese government in 2006. The National Diet Library launched the Research Project on Science and Technology for reporting to Diet members and the public in 2010. In the 2020s with the importance of ELSI, Osaka University and others began voluntarily conducting technology assessments. Recently, due to drastic changes in the security environment, the Cabinet Office is preparing to establish  a “Think-Tank on Safety and Security” to assess sensitive technologies. It is anticipated that the personnel in this think-tank will hold security clearances, that assessments will be confidential, and that it will be a significant change in flavor from previous technical assessment activities in Japan.

Authors and their affiliations:

Mitsuaki Hosono (Gifu University), Tatsuhiro Kamisato (Chiba University)

Main Speaker: Mitsuaki Hosono (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Tatsuhiro Kamisato (Bio)

Description:

This paper explores the evolution of technology assessment (TA) in South Korea, with a particular focus on the role of TA within the landscape of innovation policy especially linked to responsible innovation. The national-level technology assessment in South Korea has been carried out almost every year for over 20 years. The need for TA has been stated by the law through the Framework Act on Science and Technology since 2001, and the Enforcement decree of the framework Act on Science and Technology further stipulates the scope and the procedures of TA. However, there are criticisms concerning the inflexibility of the framework constrained by the law, as well as the current governance structure of TA which designates the government as a key agency who, at the same time is responsible for promoting technological innovation. Our paper examines the evolution of TA in South Korea, by reflecting on the concepts and principles of responsible innovation. We aim to open up a broad discussion on how TA can contribute to more responsible innovation.

Authors and their affiliations:

JeeHyun Suh (KISTEP), Sooyoung Chi (KISTEP), Moonjung Choi (KISTEP)

Main Speaker: JeeHyun Suh

Quantum technologies (QT) hold the potential to transform industries, society, and governance systems globally. However, their disruptive nature presents unique challenges for TA, requiring diverse methodologies, regional perspectives, and anticipatory governance frameworks. Given the international scale of QT development, there is a need to strengthen TA efforts worldwide, enhance coordination, and establish best practices for assessing its societal impact. This session will bring together four contributions that examine the societal, ethical, and governance dimensions of QT. The discussions will explore ways to build more effective and inclusive TA approaches, assess whether international coordination mechanisms could improve QT governance, and identify principles for conducting TA in a globally connected yet regionally diverse landscape.

Convenors and their affiliations:

Zeki C. Seskir (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis)

Description:

As technological progress accelerates alongside geopolitical uncertainties and challenges to democratic systems, the evolution of technology assessment (TA) is increasingly important. TA needs to evolve by refining its methods and engaging different stakeholders. It must consider regional and socio-political differences while monitoring their technological maturity. Quantum technologies (QT) provide an excellent example of highlighting such differences, due to their disruptive potential and perceived economic and geopolitical benefits. However, as the technical trajectory of QT remains uncertain, new thematic applications and different global access scenarios are emerging. At the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), we explore these technological implications of QT through several projects. We use a classical consequential approach to survey QT experts, investigate the military implications of QT in a parliamentary TA project,  conduct a project on 'quantum art' that incorporates more hermeneutic TA methods and  engage in global exchanges that are extended to South America. These efforts allow us to gain and share valuable insights into different TA approaches to QT.

Authors and their affiliations:

Adrian Schmidt (Institute for Technology Assessment and System Analysis, KIT), Zeki C. Seskir (Institute for Technology Assessment and System Analysis, KIT)

Main Speaker: Adrian Schmidt (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Zeki C. Seskir (Bio)

Description:

The concept of ‘quantum readiness’ can help industry sectors prepare for the impact of quantum technologies. ‘Quantum readiness’ refers to both an organisation’s overall state of preparedness to use quantum technology effectively, and the level of quantum cyber readiness organisations possess to address the cyber security risks and challenges associated with quantum technology. Our research project aims to assess both aspects of quantum readiness within Australian industry sectors. In this presentation, we will present the background context of the research and report on two research activities we have undertaken: a desktop mapping exercise where we have documented quantum use cases and mapped them against industry sectors to achieve a snapshot of the current state of quantum readiness in Australia, and qualitative interviews with professionals working in the Australian quantum technology ecosystem. From our analyses, we have found quantum computing to have the highest number of use cases, and that the manufacturing sector had the highest number of quantum technology use cases. In our review of documents produced by four stakeholder groups (academia, governments, market analysts, and the quantum technology industry), the most use cases were identified in quantum technology industry documents. Finally, we found security to be a major focus across multiple industry sectors.

Authors and their affiliations:

Rebecca Coates (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - CSIRO, Australia), presenter: David Douglas PhD (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - CSIRO, Australia)

Main Speaker: David Douglas (Bio)

Description:

Work at the OECD has revealed interest in the policy challenges and opportunities in the potential convergence of quantum science and technology developments with other technology areas, such as AI and biosciences, and other sectors, such as space and healthcare. However, technology convergence brings a number of challenges: (a) the potential overlapping of multi-layered gevernance regimes, leading to increased complexity of the regulatory environment, (b) acceleration of change outpacing governance and other policies, and (c) the challenge of hyper-interdisciplinarity, exacerbating skills and workforce evolutions through creating new roles and functions. TA and other forms of forward-looking strategic intelligence play a critical role in building policies for quantum convergence whose importance is clear but whose precise implications and pathways are still uncertain. Throughout 2025, the OECD is undertaking a forward-looking TA exercise to unpack future co-evolutions and convergences of quantum, with a view to informing the anticipatory governance of quantum. This presentation will present the overall activity and findings to date.

Authors and their affiliations:

Douglas K. R. Robinson (OECD)

Main Speaker: Douglas K. R. Robinson

Description:

The UN has designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science. Increasingly, global actors – including the OECD and UNESCO – but also nation states are developing strategic priorities for quantum technology development and use. The time seems right to discuss which ethical and governance frameworks should be applied to quantum. Drawing on frameworks like UNESCO’s AI Ethics Recommendation (2021) and the Internet Governance Forum's multi-stakeholder model, this presentation advocates a global, public goods approach to quantum ethics, informed by the author’s work as rapporteur on quantum computing ethics in UNESCO’s science ethics committee COMEST. While quantum technologies are still developing, early applications in sensing and communication are already operational, and the transformative potential of quantum computing is becoming apparent. The presentation advocates for an ethical framework of quantum computing that highlights transparency, accountability, and equity, ensures that quantum technology capabilities function as global public goods,   and safeguards international solidarity and intergenerational equity.

Authors and their affiliations:

Matthias C. Kettemann (Innsbruck Quantum Ethics Lab, University of Innsbruck)

Main Speaker: Matthias C. Kettemann (Bio)

Description:

To achieve climate neutrality by 2045, Germany must significantly avoid and reduce emissions. However, emissions from hard-to-abate sectors (about 10% of current greenhouse gas emissions) will require offsetting. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) options are essential but still lack clear pathways for development and scaling. As part of the Helmholtz Climate Initiative and BioNET project, we identified feasible CDR options for Germany. We first assessed options at different readiness stages and then developed a comprehensive technology assessment framework (TAF) to evaluate feasibility of these options. We evaluated 13 CDR options across 68 indicators grouped in six dimensions: environmental, technological, economic, social, and institutional. The German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has commissioned the German Energy Agency (dena) to develop a long-term strategy for negative emissions. Drawing on our research, dena adopted our feasibility criteria to guide Germany's national strategy on CDR. Here, we present our approach to assessing the feasibility of CDR options, focusing on the development, design, and application of the technology assessment framework for CDR evaluation.

Authors and their affiliations:

Borchers M. (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ), Förster J. (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ), Thrän D. (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ), Mengis N. (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel)

Main Speaker: Malgorzata Borchers (Bio)

Description:

Technology assessment (TA) can benefit from integrating Clarke's Situational Analysis (SitA), a theory-method package that broadens the perspective beyond face-to-face interactions to include the broader socio-technical landscape. SitA, rooted in the socio-ecological and relational approaches of the Chicago School and symbolic interactionism, integrates social worlds, human and non-human actors, and discourses, providing a comprehensive analytical framework for complex situations. This makes SitA particularly valuable for global TA initiatives, enabling a deeper understanding of diverse socio-technical contexts and better assessment of risks and opportunities within specific social worlds. By incorporating SitA, TA can ensure that all stakeholders' voices are heard, advancing sustainable development goals such as good health, wellbeing, reducing inequalities, and gender equality. Our talk explores these aspects and provides an example of SitA applied to an AI-based decision support tool for HIV treatment. SitA addresses the complexities of technology development and usage, highlighting the importance of inclusive engagement.

Authors and their affiliations:

Renate Baumgartner (VU Amsterdam), Tamara Schwertel (Universität zu Köln)

Main Speaker: Renate Baumgartner (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Tamara Schwertel

Description:

The energy transition continues to see public opposition to tried and tested technologies.  But is it the technologies themselves that are creating opposition, does it have more to do with the change in systems being brought about. The world is full of large socio-technical systems extending into every place and landscape. However, when a technology is introduced to transform the system, it is often viewed as being disruptive.  In reality, the technology is forcing the reconfiguration of the system, which can generate resistance from those not wishing to change.  To maintain the world’s focus on transforming the energy system to net zero emissions there is a need to find new ways of working to overcome such opposition. It begs the question: Are there ways to institutionalise TA practices that would help to alleviate such opposition? Is there opportunity for more proactive place-based community TA activities to prepare communities in advance? Ideally, TA can prepare communities to take advantage of the potential transformation and find ways to benefit host localities to deliver a more cost-effective energy system.

Authors and their affiliations:

Peta Ashworth (Director,  Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia) Clark Miller (Centre for Energy & Society, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University)

Main Speaker: Peta Ashworth (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Clark Miller (Bio)

Description:

Privacy-enhancing Technologies (PETs) is an umbrella term for recent methods of data protection. Some of them, in particular when used in combination, allow for secondary data analyses that have hitherto been legally forbidden due to privacy concerns. For instance,   homomorphic encryption allows  analysis of e  ncrypted data without a preceding decryption. Thus, the data owner can profit from external analyses without giving up privacy, even if a malicious party is unknowingly participating. A proof-of-concept of these novel possibilities is the Corona Heatmap (https://covid-heatmap.iaik.tugraz.at/en.html). While it relied on synthetic data, the Corona Heatmap was one of the use cases that we analyse in an ongoing participatory technology assessment project. We followed a multi-method approach to explore the social effects of applications of PETs for the common good. Drawing on a series of expert interviews and Futures Wheels sessions with students from various European universities, the paper describes possibilities and pitfalls that both experts and citizens see in the application of PETs for the common good and attempts to assess their images of a future with PETs.

Authors and their affiliations: 

Christian Dayé (TU Graz), Lea Demelius (TU Graz), Roman Lukas Prunč (TU Graz), Andreas Trügler (Universität Graz), Bernhard Wieser (TU Graz)

Main Speaker: Christian Dayé

Description:

We work with Radical Technology Inquirer (RTI) methodology. It anticipates the societal impacts of 100 key radical technologies in various stages of maturity. The method enables one type of global TA but it has been labour intensive and thus funded and carried out only in 2013 and 2018. We have tested semi-automating the method with generative AI as a limited pilot study: We used GPT 4o and Claude GenAI models to envision and assess societal impacts of one rapidly developing radical technology, humanoid robots. Labor-intensity of the assessment step of the RTI method was significantly reduced. As Deep Research, a model by OpenAI, has recently become available in the EU, semi-automating another very labour-intensive RTI step, the updating of the development status of the full range of all 100 radical technologies, seems possible, based on tentative tests. The real challenge is the mismatch between the global scope of the results and the sectoral and contextual needs of potential funder-users. We therefore conclude that global TA initiatives should be established in an institutional context where the funding for the global base work could come from different sources, e.g. yearly subscriptions from relevant stakeholders.

Authors and their affiliations:

Maria Höyssä (University of Turku & Parliament of Finland), Frans Björkroth (University of Turku), Maria Jussila (University of Turku), Taina Eriksson (University of Turku), Risto Linturi (Independent futurist)

Main Speaker: Maria Höyssä (Bio)

Description:

Technological risk assessment has traditionally focused on human health, safety, and environmental hazards. However, essential, current models have limitations, particularly in incorporating situated and tacit stakeholder knowledge. These models often rely on a positivistic epistemology, (un)intentionally excluding diverse perspectives, which is especially problematic for assessing future technologies. Additionally, conceiving risks as merely technical excludes the social production of risks, and ethical concerns related to risks. This presentation examines how the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DBI) applies risk assessment in the departments ‘Security & Resilience’ and ‘Green Energy & Transport.’ Drawing from recent literature, including the Handbook of Technology Assessment, we highlight strengths and areas for improvement. We propose integrating methodologies from constructive, participatory, hermeneutic, and techno-anthropological assessments to better engage stakeholder knowledge and ethical concerns. Our recommendations aim to make risk assessments more ethically robust, inclusive, and socially responsive.

Authors and their affiliations:

Kristian Holst Kristiansen (Aalborg University, Department of Sustainability and planning, Copenhagen SV, Denmark, Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology), Tom Børsen (Aalborg University, Department of Sustainability and planning, Copenhagen SV, Denmark), Mette Marie Vad Karsten (Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology, Denmark), and Jorge Contreras (Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology, Denmark)

Main Speaker: Kristian Holst Kristiansen (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Tom Børsen (Bio)

Description:

The Pairing Scheme Program promotes dialogue between Members of Parliament (MPs), parliamentary staff, and interdisciplinary researchers on science-related topics chosen by MPs for their legislative relevance. A research document from the program, co-authored by experts in biodiversity, biology, energy materials, environmental engineering, and veterinary medicine, examines how national and international policy frameworks and new technologies influence the shift toward sustainable, competitive, and resilient agriculture. Key topics include global energy, food, and intrant supply chains, as well as the critical interplay between agriculture, soil, water, and biodiversity. This study explores strategies for sustainable intensification, emphasizing technologies that reduce inputs and enable on-farm energy generation. While highlighting benefits, it also assesses risks and proposes incentives to encourage farmer adoption of innovative practices. Findings were presented at a public conference, fostering discussion among MPs and stakeholders on policy implications and recommendations.

Authors and their affiliations:

Maude Pauly (Chambre des Députés), Christian Penny (Chambre des Députés), Axel Hochkirch (Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle), Gitanjali Thakur (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology), Phillip Dale (University of Luxembourg)

Main Speaker: Maude Pauly (Bio)

Description:

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) has revolutionized genetic engineering, particularly in medicine, offering groundbreaking potential for treating various diseases, including some rare diseases.  It has also raised ethical, societal, and safety concerns such as unintended genetic alterations, debates over designer genetics, equitable access, and misuse of technology. Turkey presents a unique case for examining the implications of CRISPR in the health sector due to its unique socio-demographic context. This study aims to look at how to adapt the Turkish health system to get ready for a CRISPR-designed world by investigating its trajectory through a comprehensive TA. Preliminary findings highlight CRISPR’s cost-effectiveness, its growing recognition in policy discussions, and transformative potential to address national challenges. But they also reveal limited gene-editing activity in Turkey, hindered by financial constraints, fragmented institutional capacities, and concerns over off-target effects and equitable access. The study underlines the importance of tailoring CRISPR strategies to Turkey’s unique socio-demographic realities and provides actionable recommendations.

Authors and their affiliations:

Ayse Isilak (Middle East Technical University-Science and Technology Policy Studies), Arsev Umur Aydinoglu (Middle East Technical University-Science and Technology Policy Studies)

Main Speaker: Ayse Isilak (Bio)

This interactive session aims to show and discuss the diversity of institutionalization modes of TA across the globe. We will start with the presentation of a small study in which we interviewed globalTA network members from 12 countries and clustered the reported TA activities into 5 modes of institutionalization, being situated between politics, science and the public: i) a distinct TA office giving policy advice, ii) research funding programs of government ministries, iii) scientific institutions conducting TA, iv) participatory TA activities and networks, and v) public-oriented TA agencies. Following on from that, we will have a roundtable discussion with several speakers, each representing a different country within the globalTA network. In addition, there will be an open chair that can be used by anyone from the audience to step in and share own reflections, thoughts or experiences from another country. This cross-country discussion will address questions revolving around the usefulness of the different modes, learnings between countries, challenges for TA and current trends in different countries, and ways forward regarding a global level of TA.

Convenors and their affiliations:

Nils Heyen (Fraunhofer ISI), Julia Hahn (ITAS-KIT)
With contributions by: John Ouma Mugabe, Lenka Hebáková, Peta Ashworth, Raimundo Roberts Molina

Effective technology assessment (TA) requires engaging diverse audiences in meaningful discussions about technological change and its societal implications. This interactive workshop explores how emotional narratives (stories that evoke empathy and connect shared human experiences) can enhance TA communication. Using a World Café format, participants will collaboratively examine the potential of emotional storytelling to foster inclusive dialogue, strengthen public engagement, and improve cross-cultural knowledge exchange. The session will address key challenges, including balancing emotional resonance with scientific accuracy and ensuring narratives remain adaptable across socio-political contexts. Insights generated will contribute to refining TA communication strategies in a global landscape.

Convenors and their affiliations:

Meike Hebich, Dana Mahr, Anna Klassen, Nora Weinberger (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Description:

How should Technology Assessment (TA), a field rooted in the Western industrialised world, adapt to the growing global weight of what is commonly referred to as the Global South? Taking critical theory in international relations as a point of departure, this session explores Robert Cox’s concept of hegemony, applies it to recent global developments, and reflects on what it means for Global TA. The session identifies a set of variables that Global TA might need to consider in the context of global transition and power redistribution between the North and the South. Based on these variables, we propose a taxonomy of internationally sensitive approaches, ensuring that TA methods and frameworks reflect diverse global perspectives. Rather than reinforcing a rigid North-South divide, the session proposes a more nuanced view, recognizing varying levels of agency and influence across different regions. This differentiated approach aims to support the development of Global TA as an inclusive and adaptable discipline.

Authors and their affiliations:

Alexander Plé (Institute for Qualifying Innovation Research and Consulting, IQIB), Narges Naraghi (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, ITAS- KIT)‎

Main Speaker: Alexander Plé (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Narges Naraghi (Bio)

Description:

Technologies have unpredictable impacts on society, requiring effective regulation. Anticipatory governance provides strategies to address these challenges, with Foresight (FS) and Technology Assessment (TA) playing crucial roles. However, there is a lack of comparative analysis of global case studies and a clear understanding of how these methodologies can be effectively integrated into political strategic processes. This gap was addressed through a study commissioned by the Federal Chancellery of Austria and conducted by AIT, focusing on the application of FS and TA methods in the context of digital transformation. The study offers an international comparative perspective and presents a framework for embedding FS and TA into strategic processes. This framework was developed through an extensive analysis of case studies, literature reviews, and expert interviews. The presentation also highlights how tacit knowledge from practitioners, gained through applied research, can guide the practical implementation of these methodologies.

Authors and their affiliations:

Arianna Ferrari, Wenzel Mehnert (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Vienna, Austria)

Main Speaker: Arianna Ferrari (Bio)

Additional Speaker: Wenzel Mehnert (Bio)

Description:

Technology assessment originated in the North, where its concepts and metaphors were first developed. However, as it ‎expands into Southern contexts, mere adoption without adaptation risks reducing TA's relevance. Existing ‎TA metaphors, watchdog (warning of technological threats), tracker dog (observing societal meanings ‎of technology), and lab dog (symbolizing participatory research), are deeply rooted in Northern ‎institutional settings and may not fully capture Southern perspectives. This study highlights the role of ‎metaphors in scientific discourse and argues for alternative narratives to create a more inclusive global ‎TA. Through qualitative analysis of Iranian perspectives, this study reassesses these metaphors. The ‎watchdog shifts to a coward dog, as new technologies are often seen as political threats rather than ‎social concerns; the tracker dog becomes a stray dog due to South’s exclusion from technology design; ‎and the lab dog is perceived as an obedient dog, mirroring conservatism in participatory approaches. To ‎address this shortsightedness, the study proposes dominoes, chess, and Legos as alternative metaphors, ‎offering a more dynamic and adaptable framework for Global TA.‎

Authors and their affiliations:

Narges Naraghi (Institute of Technology Assessment and System Analysis- ITAS)

Main Speaker: Narges Naraghi (Bio)

Description:

Climate change and urbanization have led to a worldwide decline in urban green spaces. We examined perceptions of the benefits of urban green spaces in lower to middle-income (Ghana), middle-income (Indonesia), and high-income (South Korea and Germany) countries using mixed-method approaches. Constructive technology assessment can effectively design transformation pathways by integrating scientific evidence with democratic processes, accelerating the transition toward resilience. Moreover, we identified that the Collingridge-Dilemma presents a complex challenge between implementing solutions and their potential impacts on the durability of transformed urban green spaces. Significant local variations in public perceptions among cities must be considered in long-term environmental governance. I will present a framework that illustrates how long-term, repetitive, and replicated research interventions—linking basic research, applied research, and accompanying research within interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary frameworks—are vital for successfully transforming urban green spaces toward greater resilience.

Authors and their affiliations:

Somidh Saha (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Angela Beckmann-Wübbelt (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Jaewon Son (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Irvanu Rahman (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Main Speaker: Somidh Saha (Bio)

Isn't it often the case that major global benefits and costs of technology are overlooked because of the limited geographic scope of national technology assessment studies? The Rathenau Institute is currently developing a method for ‘doing global TA’. In this method, specific global issues – such a food security and pandemic preparedness – are assessed from a planetary perspective, taking into account the planetary boundaries, while also making use of a holistic global systems view and paying attention to a fair distribution of costs and benefits. In this interactive workshop we invite participants to choose a specific global issue and to develop – with the help of our method – a truly global assessment of it. First, we will shortly present our method and distribute handouts. Subsequently all participants can apply the method in small groups to a specific issue of their choosing, or to a suggested example, if they need inspiration. Afterward, the groups will share their experience. Finally, the added value of the method, its limits and potential areas for improvement will be discussed.

Convenors and their affiliations:

Tijs Sikma (Researcher Rathenau Institute) and Rinie van Est (Research Coordinator Rathenau Institute)