M. Kaiser

Managing a successful transition of the current energy supply system to less carbon emitting options, ensuring a safe and secure supply during the whole process and in the long term, is one of the largest challenges of our time. Various approaches and first implementations show that it is not only technological issue, but also a matter of societal acceptance and acceptability, considering basic ethic values of the society. The main foci of the book are, thus, to develop an understanding about the specific challenges of the scientific policy advice in the area, to explore typical current approaches for the analysis of future energy systems and to develop criteria for the quality assessment and guidelines for the improvement of such studies. The book provides assistance to the interpretation of existing studies and guidelines for setting up and carrying out new analyses as well as for communicating and applying the results. Thereby, it aims to support the involved actors such as the respective scientific experts and researchers as well as decision makers, energy suppliers, stakeholders and the interested public in designing procedures for a successful transition process. The study elaborates consistent interdisciplinary advice as contribution for realising a continuously safe and secure, long-term viable energy supply in spite of diverse interests, multi-level responsibilities, multi-dimensional processes, large uncertainties and lack of knowledge about future developments.

Interdisciplinarity has seemingly become a paradigm for modern and meaningful research. Clearly, the interdisciplinary modus of deliberation enables to unfold relevant but quite different disciplinary perspectives to the reflection of broader scientific questions or societal problems. However, whether the comprehensive results of interdisciplinary reflection prove to be valid or to be acceptable in trans-disciplinary terms depends upon certain preconditions, which have to be fulfilled for securing scientific quality and social trust in advisory contexts. The present book is written by experts and practitioners of interdisciplinary research and policy advice. It analyses topical and methodological approaches towards interdisciplinarity, starting with the current role of scientific research in society. The volume continues with contributions to the issues of knowledge and acting and to trans-disciplinary deliberation. The final conclusions address the scientific system as substantial actor itself as well as the relevant research and education politics.

Managing a successful transition of the current energy supply system to less carbon emitting options, ensuring a safe and secure supply during the whole process and in the long term, is one of the largest challenges of our time. Various approaches and first implementations show that it is not only technological issue, but also a matter of societal acceptance and acceptability, considering basic ethic values of the society. The main foci of the book are, thus, to develop an understanding about the specific challenges of the scientific policy advice in the area, to explore typical current approaches for the analysis of future energy systems and to develop criteria for the quality assessment and guidelines for the improvement of such studies. The book provides assistance to the interpretation of existing studies and guidelines for setting up and carrying out new analyses as well as for communicating and applying the results. Thereby, it aims to support the involved actors such as the respective scientific experts and researchers as well as decision makers, energy suppliers, stakeholders and the interested public in designing procedures for a successful transition process. The study elaborates consistent interdisciplinary advice as contribution for realising a continuously safe and secure, long-term viable energy supply in spite of diverse interests, multi-level responsibilities, multi-dimensional processes, large uncertainties and lack of knowledge about future developments.

Interdisciplinarity has seemingly become a paradigm for modern and meaningful research. Clearly, the interdisciplinary modus of deliberation enables to unfold relevant but quite different disciplinary perspectives to the reflection of broader scientific questions or societal problems. However, whether the comprehensive results of interdisciplinary reflection prove to be valid or to be acceptable in trans-disciplinary terms depends upon certain preconditions, which have to be fulfilled for securing scientific quality and social trust in advisory contexts. The present book is written by experts and practitioners of interdisciplinary research and policy advice. It analyses topical and methodological approaches towards interdisciplinarity, starting with the current role of scientific research in society. The volume continues with contributions to the issues of knowledge and acting and to trans-disciplinary deliberation. The final conclusions address the scientific system as substantial actor itself as well as the relevant research and education politics.

In den Entwicklungsländern leben gegenwärtig etwa 3,5 Milliarden Menschen, das sind fast drei Viertel der Weltbevölkerung. Bis zum Jahr 2000 - also in weniger als vierzehn Jahren - wird diese Zahl auf etwa 4,8 Milliarden angewachsen sein, was dem jetzigen Stand der Weltbevölkerung entspricht. Gleichwohl wird den ent­ wicklungspolitischen Fragen noch immer keine angemessene Beachtung ge­ schenkt. Dies mag darin begründet sein, daß Entwicklungspolitik auf unterschied­ lichen Ebenen, z. B. national und international, praktiziert wird, daß Entwick­ lungspolitik ein schwieriges Unterfangen ist und häufig nicht zu den gewünschten Ergebnissen führt, daß die weltweite entwicklungspolitische Zusammenarbeit ein kaum zu durchschauendes Geflecht aus unterschiedlichen Sachzusammenhängen, Zielsetzungen und Realisierungschancen darstellt. Unser Buch versucht, dieses Geflecht zu entwirren und dem Leser Orientierungshilfen zu geben. Wegen der Vielschichtigkeit der weltweiten Verflechtungen werden die einzelnen Sachverhalte aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln betrachtet. Hohes Bevölke­ rungswachstum zum Beispiel ist ein typisches Kennzeichen der Entwicklungslän­ der und wird folglich als Problemfeld (Kapitel I) dargestellt. Andererseits kann eine starke Überbevölkerung auch Ursache von Unterentwicklung (Kapitel II) sein, weshalb Familienpolitik zu einem wichtigen Bestandteil der Eigenanstren­ gungen der Entwicklungsländer (KapitelllI) werden muß. Diese Eigenanstren­ gungen können von den Industrieländern (Kapitel IV) in Form von Entwicklungs­ projekten unterstützt werden. Gemeinsam mit diesen direkten Einflußmöglichkei­ ten der Länder selbst und ihrer Partnerländer spielen die internationalen Wirt­ schaftsbeziehungen (Kapitel V) eine bedeutsame Rolle. Entwicklungspolitik kann auch auf dieser Ebene ansetzen. Außenhandel und Kapitaltransfer besitzen einen großen Einfluß auf den Wohlstand eines Landes.