S2-IOM: Foresight study on introduction of new technologies; the case of nanotechnology

Description

The primary objective of this project is to identify the drivers of effective policy in the area of strategic development of novel technologies.

Specific objectives include the following:

1.  To strengthen the link between technical expressions of risk resulting from health and environmental assessments, which at present may only tenuously link to health and environmental policy objectives and to public perceptions.

2.  To identify methodologies and institutional practices which can facilitate assessment of both the risks and benefits of an event or activity as an input into decision-making associated with technological innovation processes.

3.  To develop improved risk-benefit metrics in order to make decision-making explicit, rather than implicit as is the case at present. As part of this, it may be relevant to examine how and if social and economic issues can be included as part of the assessment process in order to increase transparency in decision-making.

4.  To develop methods to ensure that input from all stakeholders, including the general public, is formally taken into account in the development, governance and commercialization of emerging technologies.

In order to address these objectives a foresight study is proposed to develop a governance landscape suited to identifying the drivers and the context in which they act, using nanotechnologies as a case study.