Events – Page 4

Euro-CASE Annual Conference “Building back better”

The Euro-CASE Annual Conference will be hosted by the Royal Academy of Engineering on the topic of “building back better”, in relation to the tandem challenges of economic recovery from the pandemic and achieving climate neutrality and resilience in Europe by 2050.

The climate and energy transition in the age of transformation

The energy transition requires immediate action science-based advice from the European academies by Filip Johnsson, Professor, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology, IVA Fellow.

Time travel and climate: changing the past to fix the future

Led by the audience, we will be asking these and other challenging questions to two of Europe’s top experts on climate change and energy: Professor Nebojsa Nakicenovic, Chief Scientific Advisor to the European Commission, and Professor Peter Lund, co-chair of the SAPEA working group on Europe’s energy transition.

How did we get ourselves into such a mess with climate change? When and how did it all go wrong — and could we have done otherwise? What information about the future do we need to help guide our energy choices now? And how do today’s scientists model tomorrow’s world without the aid of a time machine?

The event will be hosted by AC Coppens, an experienced moderator who will make sure that the full audience — including those in the room and those joining via YouTube livestream — can actively engage with the experts and take part in lively conversation.

SPEAKERS:

Peter Lund is Professor on Advanced Energy Systems at Aalto University. He works on future energy questions and technologies having an interest in multidisciplinary approaches. He has chaired the Advisory Group Energy of the European Commission and the Energy Steering Panel of the European Academies Science Advisory Council, and co-chaired the SAPEA working group on Europe’s energy transition.

Nebojsa Nakicenovic is Deputy Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission. He is director of The World in 2050, a global research initiative in support of a successful implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, and Acting Director General of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

AC Coppens is a marketing strategist, conference curator, speaker and the founder of THE CATALYSTS, a boutique agency for innovative and creative players working at the intersection of Digital Technologies and Film, Immersive Media, Design, Music and Sound.

This events is organised as a part of the Berlin Science Week.

Berlin Science Week is a 10-day international festival that brings together the world’s most innovative scientific organisations in Berlin and online to celebrate science and facilitate an open and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and knowledge. With thousands of participants, it is one of the largest science events and takes place annually from 1–10 November.

Throughout ten festival days and beyond, debates and knowledge exchange are being fostered in an open and interdisciplinary spirit. This year’s topics range from diversity in science, the ethics of AI, the future of mobility to circular economies, or to the question whether we are prepared for the next pandemic – or not?

Science advice for a clean and fair energy transition: a challenge and a call for action

This panel discussion organized by the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors in collaboration with SAPEA will allow scientists who advise governments and international organizations around the world to present the key messages of their recent joint statement, and to discuss them with representatives from businesses, policy and civil society.

Transitioning to new energy systems: What impact will it have on society and on our lives?

The most recent report of the IPCC, released in early August, was described by the UN as a ‘code red for humanity’. It states that climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying. The world now anticipates November’s global climate conference, COP26, to see how nations respond to this latest stark warning.

Science advice for energy policy: Who’s afraid of epistemic diversity?

What are the challenges in organising, generating and absorbing interdisciplinary science for policy? These key challenges of science advice, revealed by the pandemic, were the focus of a session co-organised by SAPEA, the European Commission Joint Research Centre and the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors as part of the Fourth International Conference on Science Advice to Governments in Québec, Canada.

Energy transition and the EU hydrogen strategy

The European Strategies for Energy System Integration and for Hydrogen have been in the limelight of debates over recent months and a related report was adopted by the Parliament’s plenary in May. Furthermore, the European Commission (EC) is now proposing a “Fit for 55” legislative package (expected for 14 July) to fundamentally overhaul the EU’s climate policy architecture and put the EU on track towards reaching its target of a 55% net emissions reduction by 2030.

Communicating microplastics risk: Balancing sensation and reflection

SAPEA will organise a workshop at The Future of Science Communication Conference, taking place on 24 and 25 June.

Plastic pollution: Are biodegradable plastics a solution?

Plastic pollution is a worldwide issue of increasing concern. Each year, more and more plastic ends up in the natural environment, raising concerns of risk to the environment, animal and human health. And, while biodegradable plastics could be part of the solution, they also present certain challenges. Many biodegradable plastic products actually biodegrade only in certain specific environments, or only in industrial composting facilities, rather than in the open environment more generally.

Biodegradable plastics: how do we engage with consumers and society?

Public awareness and concern over plastics pollution, especially in open environments such as oceans, rivers and land, are at an all-time high. At the same time, the public is often uncertain and confused about what to do with plastic items after use. The increasing availability of products made from biodegradable plastics is likely to add to the confusion.