The foundation of progress is innovation. Questioning the status quo and renewing the foundation of prosperity unleashes creative potential, which is necessary to approach global challenges. We are living in a world in which it becomes obvious, that progress is not only understood in terms of technology and economy, but needs to be considered from a social and ecological angle as well. In doing so, sustainability and climate protection play a central role as a principle for a modern economic and industrial policy. Only thus can we succeed in managing a comprehensive transformation towards a knowledge-based economy, that efficiently handles resources and takes the value creation process into consideration.
Current Issues
Inequality is often misperceived in the German population. Using survey data, a new paper by the University of Konstanz in cooperation with Das Progressive Zentrum presents evidence for this claim. While inequality is indeed seen as a problem, its extent is underestimated in important aspects. Yet, large parts of the population support a more egalitarian society. This gives rise to the potential for a political agenda that strengthens progressive and egalitarian policies.
How can a value-based approach to technological change promote economic, social, and ecological progress? How can the public and the private sector harness new technologies to boost innovation and provide social benefits to society at large? At the #Tech4Society Policy Paper Launch on 16 December 2020, we discussed these and other questions with Julia Borggräfe, Joanna Bryson, Thomas Ramge and Rasmus Rothe.
In this workshop, we sought to explore ways of how new technologies can address some of the key societal challenges in health and the world of work and discussed with participants solutions for providing the political framework for scaling up technologies that work for the benefit of society.
In this workshop, we explored what the future of government and a modern state may look like and how new technologies can empower citizens to foster trust, transparency, and social cohesion.
Together with leading experts and policymakers, we explored what is necessary to build an economy that is conducive to linking new technologies with sustainable and inclusive growth.
Be part of our first out of three workshops of the #Tech4Society innovation series! We will explore how to restart the economy after the lockdown and how to steer technological change with inclusive and sustainable growth.
In our workshop on data rights policymakers, activists, and citizen engagement groups came together to discuss their personal thoughts and feelings on data rights and data ownership. Understanding and dealing with the challenges around data rights calls for a comprehensive social perspective on data. One of the main findings was that new regulatory frameworks need to be evolved in order to implement the requests for more agency over how data about us is used and more insight into how automated decisions are made about us.
Please join us for a workshop on the topic of data rights. The Open Data Institute and the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce will first present their research project on data rights in the UK, followed by a response from Adriana Groh, Director Prototype Fund at the Open Knowledge Foundation. Together we shall then look to understand the wider public debate on data rights in Germany and locate any research or engagement gaps, to then assess potential areas of collaboration.
The challenge of putting climate action and sustainability at the centre of politics is huge. Even though the need for a comprehensive transformation is unquestionable and public support enormous, there is no consensus on how to get there. Crucial for progressive climate politics is the reform of economic and social institutions as well as the collaboration of social movements with different backgrounds and objectives.
The study provokes a socio-political debate on the future of work. Based on interviews with 50 experts, the authors identify four core-challenges, give ten policy recommendations and sketch a concept for an inclusive digital transformation.
On May 29, the second workshop on dimensions, challenges and opportunities of a just transition took place in Brussels. The goal was to foster international exchange and knowledge sharing on the way to a more just and sustainable energy transition. Perspectives from eight countries worldwide contributed to an exciting debate on the role of foreign policy in that process.
EU Digital Challenges – Our Appeal to Politics
For the first time, three European think tanks joined forces to reflect upon the EU digital technologies strategy: Renaissance Numérique, EuropaNova, and Das Progressive Zentrum. As a concrete realization of this partnership, the think tanks launched a common series of conferences in both France and Germany: “EU Digital Challenges”. Read here our joint appeal for promoting European digital citizenship.
EU Digital Challenges – Video Gallery All videos from the "EU Digital Challenges" Conference Series
For the first time, three European think tanks joined forces to reflect upon the EU digital technologies strategy: Renaissance Numérique, EuropaNova, and Das Progressive Zentrum. As a concrete realization of this partnership, the think tanks launched a common series of conferences in both France and Germany: “EU Digital Challenges”.
EU Digital Challenges – Photo Gallery Pictures from the "EU Digital Challenges" Conference Series in Paris & Berlin
For the first time, three European think tanks joined forces to reflect upon the EU digital technologies strategy: Renaissance Numérique, EuropaNova, and Das Progressive Zentrum. As a concrete realization of this partnership, the think tanks launched a common series of conferences in both France and Germany: “EU Digital Challenges”.
EU Digital Challenges – Policy Briefings
For the first time, three European think tanks joined forces to reflect upon the EU digital technologies strategy: Renaissance Numérique, EuropaNova, and Das Progressive Zentrum. As a concrete realization of this partnership, the think tanks launched a common series of conferences in both France and Germany: “EU Digital Challenges”. Read here two policy briefings from the project.
On March 29, experts and practitioners from eight countries met at the Federal Foreign Office to discuss the concept of Just Transition and exchange good practices on the way to its successful implementation. The event kick-started the ‘Foreign Policy and the Just Energy Transition’ project, aiming to provide new impulses for the global energy transition as a whole, particularly in the context of Germany’s membership in the United Nations Security Council and its upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU.
Among the guests are Maja Göpel, Robert Habeck, Marije Laffeber, Tim Ryan, Stephan Weil and many more leading and emerging academics, activists and decision-makers from Europe and the US that are coming together to discuss their ideas for rejuvenating the progressive movement. How can progressive politics counter nationalism? How can we shift to a more sustainable and inclusive economic system? How can we ensure that everyone has a share in progress?
Three French-German think tanks, namely Das Progressive Zentrum, EuropaNova and Renaissance Numérique, join forces for the first time to reflect upon the EU digital technologies strategy. The third conference of the “EU Digital Challenges” series will take place in Paris on 10 April 2019.
How can Europe compete with China and the USA in the field of artificial intelligence? Policy Brief by Jennyfer Chrétien, Managing Director of Renaissance Numérique
Artificial intelligence is widely considered “one of the most strategic technologies of the 21st century”. Will Europe prove able to compete in this global race? Genuine ambitions are out there: The European Commission has officially declared it a high priority.
How should the European Union tackle the growing threat of cyber attacks? How can cybersecurity be effectively governed at a European level? To address these questions and advance the debate on the EU digital strategy, Das Progressive Zentrum partnered with EuropaNova and Renaissance Numérique to host an expert discussion on the topic.