Suchergebnisse

Part 1: Keynote and Plenary Papers - State of the Art, Challenges, Future ; International audience ; A current trend in crisis-laden Europe is de-industrialisation. The European Union has launched ambitious policies and proposed a new research and innovation framework programme, Horizon 2020, to counter this trend and to foster innovation in manufacturing. The paper highlights the key issues related to this upcoming programme. R&D and innovation efforts, however, need to be underpinned by smart policies that in particular link up relevant R&D and innovation strategies at regional, national and European level and offer incentives for growth and differentiation as well as for leveraging private investment.

International audience ; The challenges associated with environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly affecting policy making and global economic activity. Since energy use accounts for eighty percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, the European Union is determined to fight against climate change and reduce emissions by at least twenty percent in 2020. Although information and communication technologies (ICT) account for approximately two percent of global CO2 emissions, they can significantly contribute to reducing the ninety-eight percent of CO2 emissions caused by other activities. This requires the ICT sector to lead developments towards environmental sustainability. The paper provides an overview of the European policy landscape (regulations, incentives) with a particular emphasis on issues pertaining to the role of ICT in reducing the CO2 footprint of manufacturing.