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SCAR Foresight Task Force “A pillar of SCAR activities and an instrument for strategic planning and public policy building"

ORGANISATION

SCAR Foresight map

 Chair:

Elke Saggau

Elke Saggau (DE) 

Members of the group

4 countries (DE, IT, DK, FR) 

Mandate:

Permanent

Members of the task force:

6 countries (DE, IT, DK, FR, HU, NL)

Mandate of the task force:

Temporary during a Foresight study

 

SCAR Foresight

SCAR Foresight


The Foresight is a pillar of SCAR activities and an instrument for strategic planning and public policy building.

Since 2006, five Foresight Exercises have been initiated and carried out under SCAR, leading to the publication of five Foresight Reports, the first one in 2007.

The results of the Foresight Exercises provide basis for the advisory functions of SCAR for Member States and the European Commission and promote innovative research activities at EU level.

MISSION AND AIMS

Main Activities

Main Activities

  • The SCAR Foresight process adapts continuously to new challenges, takes up cross-cutting issues, feeds the strategic planning process of research policy making, provides “Food for thought” and gives advice to political decision makers in Member States and the European Commission.

  • The SCAR Foresight exercises highlight weak signals as well as future opportunities to provide input for a more integrated research system for primary production, food systems and the broader bioeconomy in Europe.

  • The Foresight reports have resulted in a high number of joint activities between Member States, such as the implementation of SCAR Working Groups, ERA-Nets, Joint Programming Initiatives and EU-Partnerships with a wide scope.

SCAR Foresight process

 The Foresight Group initiates Foresight processes. Each process is indicatively based on the following steps:

  • Scoping workshops are held to define the Foresight theme with participation of stakeholders e.g., from SCAR Working Groups and the European Commission Directorates-General
  • Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Foresight study are prepared and presented at the SCAR Plenary for approval
  • Expertise is selected for elaboration of the Foresight Report

When the SCAR Foresight Report is completed, the Foresight Group works at the dissemination of the results and recommendations, which includes the following steps:

  • The Foresight Report is published and presented at a SCAR conference
  • Reflection Papers and/or Declarations are prepared
SCAR Foresight process
wood log

Planned activities for 2025 and 2026

  • Support to the experts’ work for the realization and finalisation of the 6th SCAR Foresight

DOCUMENTS

One of SCAR’s main activities is horizon scanning through foresight studies. A working group of SCAR, the ‘Foresight Group’, proposes such activity to the plenary and, after approval, governs the execution of relevant studies. The Commission has made available resources through the Framework Programmes to help contract experts, to carry out the foresight activity (which may include review of other ongoing studies, scenario building, research prioritisation, etc.), to organize meetings (workshops, seminars, conferences) and to publicize outcomes.

Joint declaration of the SCAR members on the 5th Foresight Exercise on “Natural resources and food systems: Transitions towards a ‘safe and just’ operating space”

Berlin Declaration - December 2020

EU foresight expert group urges reform of food systems to drive COVID-19 recovery

NEWS RELEASE
Embargoed to 18 January 2021

The pandemic highlights the global problem of food insecurity. A new report prepared by an expert group for the European Commission details how research and innovation can tackle the problem – and ‘build back better’

ONLINE ANNEXES
“Facts & Figures” reports of the 5th SCAR Foresight Exercise

Natural resources and food systems: Transitions towards a ‘safe and just’ operating space

5th SCAR Foresight Conference - RESILIENCE AND TRANSFORMATION

FACTSHEET

15th December 2020

SCAR Foresight Process

2006-7 1st Foresight Exercise - Disruption Scenarios
Towards future challenges of Agricultural Research in Europe - Key messages for research priority setting
CWG Agriculture & Climate Change
JPI FACCE and HDHL
CWG Agriculture & Energy
2008-9 2nd Foresight Exercise - Resilience and Crisis 
Sustainable development - a challenge for European Research
AKIS
EIP-A
2010-11 3rd Foresight Exercise - Productivity and Sufficiency 
Transition towards sustainable food consumption and production in a resource constrained world
SWG Forest R&I
SWG Sustainable Biomass
SCAR-Fish
2014-15 4th Foresight Exercise - Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the Bioeconomy Infographic poster
2019-2020 5th Foresight Exercise – Resilience and Transformation
Natural resources and food systems: transitions towards a ‘safe and just’ operating space