CEP delivering online sense-making workshops as part of the fourth annual cycle of FORENV

CEP delivering online sense-making workshops as part of the fourth annual cycle of the EU Foresight System to Detect Emerging Environmental Issues 

CEP is continuing in our role of providing the secretariat for the EU Commission’s Foresight System for the detection of emerging environmental issues (FORENV).  Now in its fourth annual cycle, FORENV is focussing on identifying and characterising emerging environmental issues due to EU and global demographic changes. 

This topic will explore what projected European and global demographic changes, such as ageing and population dynamics within and between territories, might mean for the development of key sectors (such as mobility, agriculture and food, energy) and what the implications of these developments may be for the environment. 

To deliver FORENV, CEP is working with colleagues from Milieu (Belgium), Cranfield University (UK), the German Federal Environment Agency and Vision Communication (Spain).  The work to deliver each annual cycle includes: 

• A broad scanning to compile and characterise weak signals of emerging issues for Europe’s environment. 

• The organisation and facilitation of four participatory online sense-making workshops, to identify and select ten priority emerging environmental issues related to the topic (i.e. demography). 

• The characterisation of the ten priority emerging issues to define related risks and opportunities for the environment, through an evidence review and expert discussions.  

• Preparation of a final report including infographic presentation of each emerging issue. A short video is also prepared for each cycle.   

Miro board from last year’s workshop

Preparation for this cycle’s workshops is currently underway and these will be held online on 5th and 7th April 2022.  In total around 60 experts from the Commission, academia and NGOs will participate.  Across the workshops approximately 110 ‘weak signals’ of change related to the topic will discussed, clustered and prioritised.  CEP are leading the organisation of the workshops and will moderate them with support from our partners Cranfield University, Milieu Ltd and representatives of the European Commission. 

More information together with the final reports and videos prepared to date can be found on the Commission FORENV webpages. 

For further information please contact Owen White (Technical Director) or Rolands Sadauskis (Senior Consultant). 

Blog post: Understanding Drivers of Change

Understanding the drivers of change that shape the environment we live in and interact with policy can help improve strategic decision-making and lead to better outcomes for the environment and people.

Blog post by Owen White

A new report on drivers of change for Europe’s environment

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published a report which identifies and describes Drivers of change of relevance for Europe's environment and sustainability.  The report was developed with the support of CEP (working with partners Futureline, Fraunhofer, the German Environment Agency, the University of Bergen, and the University of Barcelona).  The report recognises that Europe exists within an increasingly complex and uncertain world and that the current state, and future outlook of Europe’s environment is influenced by a range of environmental but also non-environmental ‘drivers of change’.  As the world is increasingly ‘interconnected through flows of information, resources, goods and services, people and ideas’ these drivers often originate outside Europe.  

Environmental policy and strategy has often focused on specific outcomes, such as meeting an air quality target, often in isolation of wider system considerations.  More recently broader and longer-term policy ambitions have emerged, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the 7th European Action Programme, the European Green Deal, and in the UK the 25 Year Environment Plan.  At the same time, there has been an increased interest in understanding better the systemic nature of many environmental challenges, and integrating approaches such as systems thinking, foresight and horizon scanning into the process of environmental policy-making.

By identifying key drivers of change for the environment and sustainability in a systematic and systemic way, this new report aims to provide a sound knowledge base for decision-making and ‘information concerning possible future scenarios and implications, so to better support policy-makers in anticipating issues, managing risks and chasing opportunities’. 

Six clusters of drivers of change are defined and described in detail, including interactions within and across clusters (see figure):

1.     A growing, urbanising and migrating global population

2.     Climate change and environmental degradation worldwide

3.     Increasing scarcity of and global competition for resources

4.     Accelerating technological change and convergence

5.     Power shifts in the global economy and geopolitical landscape

6.     Diversifying values, lifestyles and governance approaches

The report presents a timely reflection on Europe and European countries place in a rapidly changing world.  The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic provides a stark reminder of the impact external factors can have on society.  The report in fact identified an increased risk of epidemics and potential for new global pandemics. 

More broadly, the report highlights some of the key changes that are emerging in the global and European landscape, and how Europe and European countries might need to respond to the challenges, risks and opportunities these changes imply.  It identifies the increasingly complex and interconnected nature of many of the economic, social and environmental challenges we face and the need to tackle these in a systemic way, by transforming production and consumption systems, such as for mobility, energy and food.  The EEA intends to use this report as the basis for further research into the implications of drivers of change in Europe, focusing on key priority areas including: the move from a linear to a circular economy; sustainability in the food system ‘from farm to fork'; future proofing energy, buildings and mobility; and to help ensure a socially fair transition.

CEP supporting clients in understanding drivers of change and their implications

For this report CEP worked collaboratively with the EEA to identify, collate and cluster potential drivers of change through a combination of expert knowledge and desk-based research.  Once agreed the clusters of drivers were then developed in consultation with a senior expert advisory board and EEA staff.  The work drew on a wide range of sources including: indicators and trends; projections (e.g. for population); outlooks or scenarios (such as for climate change or technological developments); and research by academic, NGOs/civil society, international institutions and policy institutions (e.g. the European Commission).

The report builds on more than decade of work by CEP in this area for the EEA, European Commission and national clients.  This includes identifying and characterising assessments of global megatrends (global, long‑term trends that are slow to form but have a major impact) as part of the EEA’s flagship European state of the environment reporting (SOER) in 2010 and 2015.  CEP has also worked with clients to design and implement methodologies to better understand the implications of drivers of change and emerging issues for the environment and environmental policy.  This includes:

• Developing a methodology to understand the implications of global megatrends at the national level, and adapting and applying this method in Slovenia and the Western Balkans.

• Supporting the design and implementation of the European Foresight System for Emerging Environmental Issues (FORENV).

CEP have also recently been appointed with Cranfield University as a supplier to the new ‘Futures Framework’ which is supporting departments and agencies across UK Government in undertaking futures work and developing foresight capabilities.  The support will include understanding: emerging trends and developments that could impact policy; systemic consequences of policy or strategy; and, underlying drivers and issues in scoping policy or strategy.

CEP’s approach to understanding the implications of drivers of change is based around participatory expert insight (through workshops or consultations) combined with thorough desk-based research to draw on the best available evidence.  We work with clients to understand their needs, and tailor our approach accordingly.  We also seek to include a capacity building element in our work, for example delivering a half-day training session for the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment on using systems thinking as a tool for participatory decision-making as part of our work on understanding the implications of global megatrends for the environment in Slovenia.

For more information contact Owen White (Technical Director).

CEP and Brussels-based MILIEU renew their commitment to collaborate

CEP AND MILIEU RENEW THEIR COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATE THROUGH SIGNING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

CEP and Milieu - a multi-disciplinary consultancy based in Brussels specialising in providing high quality legal and policy services primarily for public sector clients - have been collaborating for more than 14 years.  In acknowledgement of our longstanding working relationship and successful collaborations, we are delighted to announce that we have renewed our Memorandum of Understanding which covers our mutual commitment to collaborate where appropriate in the provision of environmental consultancy services and to share expertise, knowledge and resources.

CEP and Milieu have been working together since 2005.  During this period we have jointly delivered some exciting, innovative and influential projects for both the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA).  This work includes projects related to: policy evaluation and impact assessment; SEA; state of the environment reporting; environmental futures assessment; climate proofing policy; water management; science-policy interface; and environmental governance.

Ric Eales, CEP’s Managing Director, commented:

“We enjoy excellent relationships with many partners in the UK and across Europe, but our relationship with Milieu has been particularly rewarding and successful over the last 14 years.  Over this time we have worked together on numerous projects particularly for European institutions and the success of these collaborations is to a great extent down to our shared culture and commitment to delivering quality services to our clients.  We look forward to our relationship with Milieu continuing to grow and strengthen in the years to come”.

This agreement highlights CEP’s continuing commitment to service our European institution clients, such as the European Commission and European Environment Agency (EEA).  Our ongoing work for European institutions includes projects on important topics, such as urban sustainability, emerging environmental risks and foresight, improving access to environmental information and justice, and the effectiveness and implementation of environmental regulations.

For more information contacts Ric Eales (Managing Director) r.eales@cep.co.uk

CEP investigating EU Environmental Implementation Portal

CEP AND PARTNERS EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF AN EU ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION PORTAL (EIP)   

CEP, in conjunction with project partners Bilbomática and Wood Consulting, are undertaking a Feasibility study on the Development and maintenance of an EU Environmental Implementation Portal, under a framework contract led of Milieu Ltd for the Directorate-General (DG) Environment of the European Commission.  

The aim of the project is to examine how a multi-purpose Environmental Implementation Portal (EIP) can be designed as a ‘one stop shop’, to facilitate quick access to the services of information/data that meet the needs of a wide range of users.  The key focus of the portal will be to provide information related to the areas and pieces of environmental legislation under the responsibility of DG Environment (for example air quality, biodiversity, and water legislation), but it could also include information such as environmental data, indicators, and reports. A wide range of users are expected, including policy-makers, NGOs, and academics.

CEP are leading the first two tasks of the project, which seek to identify and analyse different users, their needs and interests, and existing good practice of similar information portals. This will be supported through a mixed-methods approach including user mapping, analysis, desk-based research, and primary data collection through surveys and interviews with stakeholder groups. 

For more information on the project, please contact Ric Eales (Managing Director) or Paula Orr (Technical Director).