Potentials of technology assessment in sudden and enduring crises

Abstract

Reflections on the challenges for science in crises have become an integral part of public policy and technology assessment (TA). The urgency and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic brought up the question of how scientific disciplines and individual scientists can provide appropriate advice to decision makers and the public while maintaining transparency and independence. Because of the speed with which solutions had to be found, the range of questions narrowed and some topics were given priority over others. In many countries, decisions were made without broader public participation and without involving the wide variety of stakeholders. In the light of the waning COVID-19 pandemic and the surging climate crisis, it is time to consider how TA, its organizations, and networks can reasonably position themselves to achieve their goals under these conditions. This introduction presents the Special topic of this TATuP issue, in which four research articles explore the role of TA in crises from different perspectives.