Comparative Table of Parliamentary TA Institutions
DENMARK - THE DANISH BOARD OF TECHNOLOGY
The way ahead
The work of the DBT is generally highly appreciated by Danish Members
of Parliament (MPs) and increasingly by politicians in the regions and
municipalities. However, Denmark has, through the last 10 years, been
characterized by a strong divide between left/right in politics - often
referred to as »block politics«.
This has decreased the level of dialogue and common actions across the
parliamentary room, and accordingly decreased the call for independent
assessments. This tendency has been very clear with regards to a
remarkable decrease in the call for parliamentary hearings during the
last 5 years.
The change of the DBT into a corporate foundation needs to be
seen in the light of this contemporary political situation. It will
therefore be very important for the parliamentary TA function of the
DBT Foundation that a closer relation between the single committees and
the DBT is developed during 2013–2014..
Internationalisation of nearly all aspects of technology
development and regulation is a tendency that has been accelerating
very strongly through the last decade. DBT sees it as a main challenge
to find ways for TA to keep up with this trend and be able to assess
technology at all relevant policy levels. Some actions taken by DBT,
such as the World Wide Views on Global Warming, the lately finished
WWViews on Biodiversity, and the coordination of PACITA, indicates the
beginning of a future, in which the Board will see internationalisation
as a main challenge and a main field of activity. Increasing synergy
between TA units across Europe and across the world is seen as a must
for the future.
The new media reality is a challenge that needs to be
confronted. Information sources become diffuse, journalism becomes more
popular and less deep, the written media loses terrain, etc. TA needs
to find its way in this new media world. TA is important, focuses on
determining issues for society, has stories to tell and conclusions to
discuss - so, the content is there to be communicated. The challenge is
to redirect the communication efforts into new and more effective modes
in the new media picture. It is a matter of strategy and of resources
as well.