Long live Europe: seven trends which will carry us through the crisis
Europe appears to be in a bad state. Poverty and unemployment are on the rise, the rich and the poor grow apart, the financial system is out of control. In the long run countries like China and India tend to outstrip Europe, and the US will not come to the rescue. Yet, Europe is resourceful
Long live Europe, trend 7: Europe was, is and will remain one of the most important producers of scientific knowledge in the world
There will be more local self-supply or even autarky in the new world, for instance in energy systems. But whereas in the past, autarky equalled shortage and even poverty, in the future this will equal a high level of knowledge and of regional self-confidence. The future autarkic communities of the biobased society will try to
Long live Europe, conclusion: think global, act local
Summing up, we arrive at our vision. New social patterns will be sustained by the development of new technologies, that will primarily promote local and regional economic growth. Sustainability is on its way to become a recognised corporate goal, because in a sustainable environment, innovation will accommodate economic growth without negative consequences for the environment
Long live Europe, trend 6: small-scale energy systems
Energy systems will revolutionise even more radically than industry. The price of solar cells has taken a dive. They are modular in makeup, i.e. they can be applied both on a small and a large scale. Everyone can mount them on their roofs, in principle for the same unit price as the utility which would
Industrial Biotech power players to give snapshot of global bioeconomy development at EFIB 2012
This October, EuropaBio’s European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and the Biobased Economy (EFIB) brings together a panel of multinational CEOs to discuss the evolution of a world leading EU bioeconomy. The bioeconomy concept has never been higher on the EU agenda for its role in helping develop a competitive, innovative and prosperous society by providing
Long live Europe, trend 5: decentralisation of industry in a biobased society
The environmental movement of the seventies, precursor to the present movement for sustainability, was largely anti-technological. Technology seemed to be inherently large-scale; it produced nuclear power stations and polluting chemical complexes. But technology has taken a turn into the opposite direction. In sectors like automotive, energy supply, agriculture and chemistry almost all R&D is devoted
Long live Europe, trend 4: sustainability as a common goal
Sustainability has been a topic for some time: for forty years (counting from the ‘Limits to Growth’ report), or even for fifty years (counting from Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’). During those years, it has moved from the periphery to the centre of world problems. Whereas the crises of the day dominate newspaper headlines and top
Long live Europe, trend 3: new social networks are on the rise
In Europe we witness intensive social participation, coupled to increased self-confidence. People often decide to leave government and political parties aside. They seek and find each other in loose alliances, not heavily structured, in order to vent one’s indignation of the dictate of financial markets, or for a good cause like nature conservation or better
