Dive 2: Deep societal changes are a must – but how – and what matters the most?

Dive 2: Deep societal changes are a must – but how – and what matters the most?

By FMEs NTRANS and Include

Achieving sustainable energy transitions requires more than technological implementation—it calls for deep societal changes. This session highlights the critical role of the social sciences in addressing these challenges.

Featuring leaders from FMEs Include and NTRANS, as well as international scholar Simone Abram, we will explore how the social sciences can understand and address energy transitions, their importance for policy development and innovation, and their potential role vis-à-vis technology research.

The goal is to spark a critical but constructive dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of such interdisciplinary work, and to reflect on how the collective FME agenda can be strengthened by increasing the focus on societal issues.

 

Outline:

Short presentations
Setting the scene

  • Tanja Winther, UiO/Include: Why social science energy research and what are the signs of effects?
  • Simone Abram, Durham University/Include: The problem with “social acceptance” – and suggestions for what would be a better approach
  • Tomas M. Skjølsvold, NTNU/NTRANS: Short keynote on the problem of “acceleration” vs a need for deep societal changes

Panel discussion
Moderated by Elisa Junqueira de Andrade

  • Four representatives from technical FMEs will discuss how they integrate social science in their centres, along with key merits and challenges.

 

Welcome and kind regards,
Tanja Winther (Include) and Tomas M. Skjølsvold (NTRANS)

dive2 2025 notis

Information

organized by:

  • FME Include – Research centre for socially inclusive energy transitions
  • FME NTRANS - Norwegian Center for Energy Transition Strategies was established