Research News
Prof. Dr Gesine Schwan is a political scientist and President of the Humboldt-Viadrina School of Governance in Berlin.
Participation Creates Reliability
During her lecture on occasion of the Helmholtz energy talks in Berlin, Prof. Dr Gesine Schwan said that the energy transition is by no means a purely technological challenge that can be promoted by experts alone. "Institution of an energy ministry and decreeing these decisions in a top-down approach will not work. What is needed are consensual decisions, at least as regards the major questions." She continued to say that only the inclusion of all stakeholder groups of society creates reliable decisions, which provide also the necessary planning security for long-term investments.
Yet a truly participatory approach requires also broadening the approach to research, moving from interdisciplinary to transdisciplinary cooperation. Schwan said that the knowledgeable society has at its disposal various different kinds of knowledge, not only knowledge developed in a scientific and methodological manner, but also knowledge developed by way of different points of view, interests and objectives. She warned that only the exchange between the various stakeholders and the inclusion of their different points of view provides the opportunity for making long-term, good decisions reflecting the public welfare. However, this changes the role of scientific experts. Whereas their expert knowledge continues to be required, they are only one partner of many in the debate regarding making the right decisions in setting the agenda. Schwan said, also, this exchange could in turn open up new questions for science to deal with. "Yet we need to think these issues through to the end and need also to decelerate these processes. Panel discussions are not sufficient, they are simply a starting point from which to continue the debate."
