The members of EPTA advise their respective parliaments – in Europe and beyond – on the consequences of new technologies.
Svalbard is one of the places where climate change impacts are most visible, it hosts the world’s northernmost higher education institution, the global seed vault, one of the world’s largest ground satellite stations, and is going through a clean energy transition – all of which makes it an interesting place for the EPTA members.
The trip started off with a magnificent boat trip in Isfjorden with information on sea, wildlife, glaciers and the impacts of climate change and continued with enlightening and thought-provoking visits and talks on a wide range of topics.
The representatives of the 17 institutions present in Longyearbyen had a tightly packed schedule which included meetings with:
Director Ole Kokvik at Svalbard Ground Station KSAT. SvalSat has a unique location at 78 degrees North and is home to 160 antennae systems connected by fibre cables to the mainland.
Geir Gotaas, Norwegian Polar Institute, Leader of the Ny-Ålesund research program. Ny-Ålesund is the world’s northernmost permanent civilian research station which boasts an international arctic scientific research community and serves as an environmental monitoring base.
Jon Fitje Hoffmann, special adviser for the Governor of Svalbard / Norwegian Police Security Service Presentation who shared insights on Svalbard geopolitics.
Douglas Robinson, Policy Advisor in the OECD Science and Technology Policy Division. The OECD is building TA capacity in addition to their work on foresight.
Director Jøran Moen, the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). UNIS is the world’s northernmost higher education institution, specialising in arctic biology, geology, geophysics, and technology. After more than 100 years of coal power Longyearbyen is now in the midst of a much-discussed transition to greener energy. At UNIS the group also had the chance to learn from:
- Gijsbert D. Breedveld, Department leader – Arctic Technology, UNIS
- Torstein Sole-Gärtner, Managing Director, Svalbard Energi
- Terje Aunevik, leader of Longyearbyen local governmen
- Guttorm Nygård, CFO, Store Norske
Dr Chris Tyler, Director of Research and Policy in UCL STEaPP – University College London’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy. He presented AI tools for technology assessment.
The EPTA Directors were also welcomed on board the Coast Guard Ship Svalbard.
