BLOSSOM in Hungary

FLIS BLOSSOM meeting17-18 June 2013, Copenhagen

Szandra SzomorHungarian Ministry of Rural Development,

Department of Strategy

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Institutional backgroundMinistry of Rural Development

since 2010 in its present form

former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development +former Ministry of Environment and Water climate change and energy

Ministry of National Development

Scientific Committee on Statistics and Futures Research of the Hungarian Academy of SciencesCorvinus University of Budapest – Department of Futures StudiesNational Council for Sustainable Development

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Forward-looking & environmental policy-making in Hungary

• Many strategies/programmes have no forward-looking component (but might include EU targets)

• Some have a vision/outlook (e.g.: National Environmental Programme 2009-2014, National Rural Strategy 2012-2020)

• Some are based on forward-looking information, comprehesive futures studies...

Government Decree No. 38/2012 on strategic management• „country forecast”: should include trends ans scenarios• the national mid-term strategy and long-term strategy concepts in

general should include a vision, and targets on the basis of this vision• encourages close cooperation with research institutes

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Recent strategies with backing futures studiesSustainable Energy Strategy of Hungary (2006, by Energy Club)

National Climate Change Strategy 2008-2025 (by former Min. of Environment & Water,

Hungarian Academy of Sciences)

National Energy Strategy 2030 (by Min. of National Development)

National Renewable Energy Action Plan 2010-2020 (by Min. of National Development)

National Sustainable Development Strategy 2012-24 (by National Council for Sustainable Development)

+ Hungary 2025 as a possibility! (by Scientific Committee on Statistics and Futures Research)

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BLOSSOM Hungary case studywe had a case study from 2010– main focus of 2010 BLOSSOM case study (Technology Foresight Programme 1997-2003) is out of date already– changes in organisational structure– templates have also changed

Usefulness•Knowing about and better undestanding futures research in our area of expertise•Sense of ownership•Making direct links, personal contacts with futures experts through the interviews•More of us do it „together” (Eionet community), sharing experience

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Challenges

•policy-makers futures experts ...no integration of work and efforts •EU budgetary cycles•etc.

Technical•Previous case study has to be restructured entirely•I’m not a futures expert... „Approach to futures thinking: foresight, visioning,

normative, exploratory”; „Axes, factors considered” – also an advantage!•Futures programme / study•The use of a specific futures study is often difficult to be determined /indirect

influence?/

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Suggestions

Technical

•„Futures programme” only as an option; define it

•Include a space for a list of recent futures studies in the BLOSSOM case study report (Template 4) and/or a table showing the link between strategy documents and futures studies

•On Eionet Forum all BLOSSOM documents could be in one folder (or at least a collection of links to them)

•Notification if new/updated content gets uploaded

Thank You for Your Attention!

For further questions:szandra.szomor@vm.gov.hu