The goals of the Europe 2020 initiative of the European Commission for reviving the economy of the European Union can be briefly summarised as the achievement of "Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth" with greater coordination of national and European policy by 2020. How to achieve these goals and to maintain European competitiveness is now hotly debated among European policy makers. A careful research and analysis of public policies has become essential in order to inform policy-making communities.
The main missions of CSIC Institute of Public Goods and Policies (IPP) coincide with these general demands. The research activity of the Institute is organised around the three main lines: Science Dynamics and Innovation (“Smart Growth”), Environmental Economics (“Sustainable or Green Growth”), and Comparative Politics (“Inclusive Growth” and policy coordination).
The main objective of the Department of Science and Innovation Dynamics is to achieve a deeper understanding of the role played by science, technology and innovation in modern economies and societies. It aims to understand science and technology dynamics; their interactions with politics and society; and their relevance for economic development and social welfare. The main areas of work of the Department are economic, political, sociological aspects of science as well as innovation and bibliometrics. The Department of Environmental Economics performs research in forest and agroforestry ecosystem services; renewable energies; climate change; biodiversity economics; water resources; and other natural and environmental resources assets subjected to increasing shortages. The general objective of the Department is to pursue the conceptual advancement of economic valuation tools (and their applications) in the field of natural and environmental resources. In addition, it contributes to the theoretical development of negotiating institutions internationally. The Department of Comparative Politics prioritises challenges to the traditional form of understanding politics, posed by the changing globalisation environment. It addresses the way in which institutions (both national, international and supranational) can affect policy outcomes; the behaviour and attitudes of citizens and institutional actors; and the transformation of the European welfare states. Research focuses on the design of political institutions and public policies from a comparative perspective.
The aim of this workshop is to bring together original research papers relevant for the “EUROPE 2020” initiative produced by both distinguished international scholars and IPP researchers. The workshop will consist of three sessions dedicated to “Smart Growth”, “Green Growth”, and “Inclusive Growth”.
