The Triple Challenge for Europe: The Economy, Climate Change and Governance
30 November 2015 5:00 pm CET
Jan Fagerberg, University of Oslo; Ålborg University; Lund University
Venue
wiiw, Rahlgasse 3, 1060 Vienna, Library (2nd floor)
Description
Europe is confronted by an intimidating triple challenge – economic stagnation, climate change, and a governance crisis. The presentation demonstrates how the three challenges are closely inter-related, and discusses how they can be dealt with more effectively in order to arrive at a more economically secure, environmentally sustainable and well-governed Europe. In particular, a return to economic growth cannot come at the expense of greater risk of irreversible climate change. Instead, what is required is a fundamental transformation of the economy to a new 'green' trajectory based on rapidly diminishing emission of greenhouse gases. This entails much greater emphasis on innovation in all its forms (not just technological). Following this path would mean turning Europe into a veritable laboratory for sustainable growth, environmentally as well as socially. The presentation is based on the forthcoming book:
J. Fagerberg, S. Laestadius and B. R. Martin (eds) (2015), The Triple Challenge for Europe: Economic Development, Climate Change and Governance, Oxford University Press.
In his research Jan Fagerberg focused on the relationship between technology and competitiveness, economic growth and development. He has also worked on innovation theory, innovation systems and innovation policy. Jan Fagerberg has published extensively on these and other topics in books and journals. He is among the 1% most downloaded authors worldwide in ‘economics and related sciences’ through the REPEC service. Fagerberg is on the editorial boards of the journals ‘Evolutionary Economics’, ‘Industry and Innovation’, ‘Research Policy’ and ‘Technology Analysis & Strategic Management’. Between 2004 and 2008 he was Vice-President of the Joseph Schumpeter Society. Jan Fagerberg has been visiting professor at several foreign universities including the University of California San Diego, the Technical University of Lisbon and the University of Sussex. He has served on several committees in Norway and elsewhere, including the Norwegian Research Council and the European Science Foundation, and has been a consultant to the European Commission, the OECD and the United Nations.