EASAC – European Science Advisory Council Professor Sir Brian Heap President.

EASAC –European Science Advisory Council

Professor Sir Brian HeapPresident

2Monday 10 April 2023

What is EASAC?• Coalition of the National Academies of Science of the member

states of the EU

• National Science Academies: networks of scientific excellence task of science-based policy advice

• EASAC as an instrument of independent policy advice of EU Science Academies for EU-institutions

EASAC Membership

• 25 National Academies of Science (not Malta, Luxemburg, Cyprus and Romania)

• Also membership of Norway and Switzerland (as extraordinary Council members)

• One pan-European Academy of Science (Academia Europaea) and the association of all European Academies (ALLEA)

• Observer: FEAM (Federation European Academies of Medicine)

EASAC‘s Purpose• National Academies of Science have to be present in Brussels to

fulfil their task of giving science-based policy advice

High rate of national policies are attributable to EU initiatives (up to 80% of new legislation of member states stem directly or indirectly from Brussels)

• Special weight in Brussels of a united voice of the best scientists in Europe

EASAC aims to:

• Deliver scientifically excellent, independent, topical and politically relevant advice for the institutions of the EU

• Run projects that are initiated both “bottom up“ (initiatives of member academies) and “top down“ (eg requests from EU institutions)

EASAC‘s Unique Characteristics• Highly efficient network of the best scientists within the EU

• Political and financial independence of National Academies of Science

• EU-wide perspective of all reports and recommendations

• Scientific positions reached consensually

Organisational Structure of EASAC

CouncilBureau

Secretariat

Steering Panel BiosciencesSecretary Biosciences

Working Groups Biosciences

Steering Panel EnergySecretary Energy

Working Groups Energy

Steering Panel EnvironmentSecretary Environment

Working Groups Environment

Recent EASAC Reports• Impact of Engineered Nanomaterials on Health (October 2011)• „Lay Summary“ Synthetic Biology (February 2011)• Synthesis Report: Infectious Diseases (April 2011)• Synthetic Biology (December 2010)• Groundwater Situation in Southern Europe (June 2010)• Climate Change and Infectious Diseases (March 2010)• Transforming Europe‘s Electricity Supply (June 2009)• Drug-resistant Tubercolosis (March 2009)• Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity (February 2009)

Current Working Groups• Concentrating Solar Power• Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture• Sustainable Biofuels• Adaptation to Extreme Weather• Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing• Carbon Capture and Storage

Evidence-based policies – do they work?

Key objectives

• Authoritative• Repeatable• Safe• Independent• International