New Dynamics for Europe: Reaping the Benefits of Socio-ecological Transition. WWWforEurope Synthesis Report, Part I – Executive Summary

The WWWforEurope research project proposes a comprehensive strategy to set Europe on a dynamic path to a socio-ecological transition. The proposed strategy is medium to long-term in nature; solving short-run problems in specific countries may require some policy instruments not covered, but should nevertheless take this longer view into account. WWWforEurope respects different starting positions and heterogeneous preferences, and also acknowledges the high degree of uncertainty deriving from new challenges and disruptive technological innovations. The strategy cannot serve as a blueprint for solving all current and future problems or for exploiting all new opportunities, but it initially aims to develop guiding principles, then drivers of change and, last but not least, facilitators of strategy implementation which, combined, should support transition under very different real-world circumstances. The first part of this report is an overarching synthesis, the second one reports on the results of different models and presents research findings in the five areas which were inputs for the synthesis.