Top-10 research priorities for sustainable futures: Insights from and for Belgium

Sustainability in lifestyles is closely connected to the change of every day patterns of individuals and their approach towards food and consumption, mobility and transport, housing, education, health and recreation with strong cross-linkages with communities and interpersonal relationships. Lifestyles also relate to cultural heritage as well as specifics of natural and economic environment. Hence, sustainability in lifestyles is also determined by the surrounding environment, not only personal needs.

This policy brief presents and reviews Top-10 lists of sustainable research priorities for Europe and for Belgium. These priorities have been formed in systematic interaction with citizens and experts. In Belgium, if citizens’ participation in society and democracy should be enhanced it is necessary to investigate the conditions that enable them to do so, in particular the time they have available for such participation. When desiging policies on working time arrangements, activation and retirement age it is crucial to assess the impact of these policies on the time and opportunities citizens have to actively engage in society democracy and participation. Political decisions that touch upon public goods should prioritise and take into account the results of an inclusive and public debate. That way, there is less chance that decisions with short-term horizons and negative impact on the governance of public goods survive the decision-making process. Related to the research priorities and concerns addressed by the citizens that participated in the citizens panel, there exists an urgent need for such an inclusive and public debate on the energy, housing and transport sectors.