2 research outputs found
Focus and Application Options
LIAISE Policy Brief No. 5 on "Scientific tools in Europe: focus and
application options" has just been published. Policy Impact Assessment (IA)
has been an obligatory procedure in the legislative process within the EU
since 2002. It has to identify the likely impacts on sustainable development
(specifically the social, environmental and economic impacts) of all major
policy strategies and instruments prior to actual implementation. The link
between IA and sustainable development is rooted in the 2006 renewed
Sustainable Development Strategy. IA also provides the legal basis to feed
scientific evidence into the policy process and to base policy-making on
scientifically robust tools and results. In line with the recognition of the
importance of IA for sound sustainable policies, the EC (DG Research and
Innovation) has funded through the Framework Programmes (FP) 6 and 7 research
supporting knowledge creation in this field. This policy brief presents an
analysis of tools developed in the context of FP6 and FP7 undertaken by the
LIAISE project. This assessment focused on the following interests of IA
practitioners as tool users: Which policy area(s) do the tools address? Which
impact area(s) are covered by the tools? Which jurisdictional level(s) can the
tools be applied at? How can the tools be categorized? There exists a wide
variety of tools that comprises: Quantitative and qualitative tools, such as
models, scenarios, multi-criteria analysis and participatory tools, Tool
components, such as indicators, databases and comprehensive analytic methods,
Evaluation frameworks, toolboxes and platforms etc. serving as a higher level
system for tool selection or tool linkage. These results are based on an
analysis of 203 research projects designing tools for IA funded in FP6 and 7.
The results shall contribute to addressing the science-policy interface of IA
by identifying possible challenges for tool users and tool suppliers with
respect to tool development and selection