Policy Foresight Programme
The Policy Foresight Programme is directed by Sir Crispin Tickell and hosts up to six 1-day seminars a year on issues of science, technology, and the environment to identify leverage points in current policy that could have significant long-term benefits for civilization.
Seminars are generally small (around 25 people) and by invitation only, and include key actors in areas of business, industry, government, media, academia, and civil society. The seminars work to incorporate multiple perspectives on the issue at hand, and are intended to produce viable and robust policy options. A synopsis of each seminar will be available online from this website.
Please send enquiries to policyforesight@21school.ox.ac.uk
If you would like to sign up for periodic emails about the Programme's events, please send a blank email to policyforesight-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk
New Nuclear Technologies
23/09/09
On Wednesday 23 September the 21st Century School hosted a high-level Policy Foresight meeting on New Nuclear Technologies. Chaired by Sir Crispin Tickell, this meeting attracted some of the most high profile participants in the debate on the future of energy provision. Following on from a preliminary meeting in March 2009, discussions focused on energy and the part that nuclear power can play in meeting the world's energy needs in the next century.
Speakers included Dr James Martin, who elaborated on the promise of a new type of "pebble bed" nuclear reactor, as well as high profile representatives from the UK government, Brussels and France. Mark Higson, Chief Executive of the Office for Nuclear Development at the Department of Energy and Climate Change; Lady Judge, chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority; and David Davies, MP, all took part in a discussion of the potential for nuclear technologies and some of the practical technical and political problems involved.
An Agrarian Renaissance?
02/07/09
On 2 July 2009, Britain's foremost thinkers on global agriculture gathered at the 21st Century School to ask: "Should there be an agrarian renaissance?" Food production is crucial to humanity and is also significant in terms of its effect on the environment. However, as global population levels rise, it is becoming ever more difficult to meet the growing demand for food and so there is an urgent need to rethink our current approach to agriculture.
The one day symposium, organised by the Policy Foresight Programme, part of the 21st Century School, was attended by the British government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor John Beddington and DEFRA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Robert Watson. The meeting was chaired by Sir Crispin Tickell.
Obesity: Origins, Policies and Implications for the Future
31/10/08
On 31 October 2008 the James Martin Institute Policy Foresight Programme together with the British Government's Foresight Programme (within the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) held a one day symposium on Obesity: Origins, Policies and Implications for the Future, inspired by the publication of the Government's Foresight report Tackling Obesities: Future Choices published in October 2007.
Sir Crispin Tickell chaired the event. Participants came from a wide spectrum: government, policy advisers, academics, the food industry, non government organizations and civil society generally. All recognized the scale of the obesity problem, the need to see it in the broadest context, and its significance for the good health of modern society as a whole.
Can Britain Feed Itself? Should Britain Feed Itself?
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University
15/10/08
On 15 October 2008, the James Martin Institute Policy Foresight Programme, together with Colin Tudge and LandShare, established in 2008 to promote Enlightened Agriculture, held a day-long symposium on "Can Britain Feed Itself? Should Britain Feed Itself?" at the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford. The purpose of the day was to bring together government departments, academics, business, civil society and policymakers, to promote discussion and support recommendations to the British government to create a more resilient and long term sustainable food system.
The future of agriculture and the problems of the global food chain and food security have now become of worldwide concern. These problems have to be seen in a new and broader context of rising world population, resource depletion, climate change, destruction of biodiversity, and damage to the natural world of which we are a small and vulnerable part. Governments have a prime responsibility to make sure that their people are fed. Market forces have to be exercised within a framework of the public interest. The symposium also looked at the links between food consumption and climate change.
A full record of the day's proceedings is available here.
Policy Foresight and Global Catastrophic Risks
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University
21/07/08
On 21 July 2008, the Policy Foresight rogramme, in conjunction with the Future of Humanity Institute, hosted a day-long workshop on "Policy Foresight and Global Catastrophic Risks" at the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford. This document provides a record of the dayâ??s discussion.
The purpose of the day was to bring together academics and policymakers to promote discussion on the actions that governments, and in particular the British government, could take now to create a more resilient society in the face of catastrophes.
A new look at the interaction of scientific models and policymaking
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University
13/02/08
On 13 February 2008, the Policy Foresight Programme, in conjunction with the TransAtlantic Uncertainty Colloquium, hosted a day-long workshop on "A new look at the interaction of scientific models and policymaking" at the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford.
It was clear from the day's events that modellers and policymakers alike are giving significant attention to the role of models in policymaking. The workshop helped move forward ideas on how modellers and policymakers alike can shift their thinking to make models more useful to policymaking.
A full record of the seminar is available by clicking here.
Biodiversity: Science & Religion
Said Business School, Oxford University
02/11/07
A day-long seminar was held at the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization on Biodiversity: Science and Religion on 2 November 2007. The seminar was designed to bring together scientists and religious leaders to promote better understanding in both communities of the vital importance of conserving biodiversity.
It was clear from the day's events that religious leaders had put care for the environment firmly on their agendas and were asking their followers to make it a priority in their own lives. The seminar showed a solid shift towards creating a new language, new imagery and new thinking between science and religion. Overall, the day had brought a reassuring interaction between the two branches of wisdom.
A full record of the seminar is available by clicking here.
The Statement that the Programme release on 7 December 2007, "Science and Faith Unite on Biodiversity", has been signed by prominent scientists and religious leaders, people divided on many issues but united in their concern for the good health of the planet.
The statement is available by clicking here.
Global Ageing - A world where people live longer
Said Business School, Oxford University
28/06/07
Given the possibility of extending healthy, active ageing across our 60s and 70s, what is the potential for maximising the opportunities which arise from the inclusion of several generations in our communities, workplaces, and families?
On 28 June 2007, the Policy Foresight Programme convened a seminar on Global Ageing, where participants debated the contention that global ageing is not, in fact, about a world of old people but about a world in which people live longer.
This seminar was held at the James Martin Institute, and was done in collaboration with the Oxford Institute of Ageing (website).
A full record of the seminar can be found by clicking here.
Institutional Roadblocks & Opportunities for Sustainable Development
Said Business School, Oxford University
16/02/07
This seminar was a chance to bring together relevant parties in government, business, civil society, and academia for candid discussion on what the current roadblocks were for different institutions adopting more sustainable policies, and what could be done to help those institutions circumvent those roadblocks.
The main questions the participants addressed were:
- What value and assumptions are embedded in current institutions which make them act as roadblocks to more sensible policies?
- How should we analyse the effects of their removal on other areas of policy?
- How should we go about removing them? What should be the next steps?
For more information, a full record of the seminar is available by clicking here.
Impacts of Climate Change on the Islamic World
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
24/07/06
The objective of this seminar is to address the particular problems that Muslim societies are likely to face as a result of climate change, and to identify the role that an Islamic perspective can play in developing a global response to climate change.
This seminar is hosted in conjunction with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and was held at their office on George Street, Oxford, on 24 July 2006. It brought together a range of scholars and practitioners to address three main questions:
- What are the major impacts of climate change likely to be for the majority of Muslim societies?
- What is or could be unique about an Islamic perspective in addressing climate change?
- How does that perspective relate to and integrate with other major perspectives around the world?
For more information, please see the final report of the day.
Futures of Agriculture
Said Business School, Oxford University
09/06/06
The first seminar of the Policy Foresight Programme 'The Futures of Agriculture', was held at the James Martin Institute on 9 June 2006. The seminar brought together members of government, industry, business, academia, and the media to consider options for the future of agricultural policy in the next 10, 25, and 50 years.
Discussion centred on three main questions:
- What is working and not working in current agricultural polices, both national and international?
- What changes would we like to see in agricultural policy?
- What should be done now and by whom?
For more information, please see the final report of the day.