The Bureau of the Congress selects six new topics for the preparation of Oficina C reports
The Congressional Bureau has chosen six new topics for the Parliamentary Science and Technology Office, Oficina C, to produce impartial and independent reports that reflect the scientific and technical consensus on prospective topics of interest to Congress members. The reports are published so that they are also accessible to the general public.
The topics selected for new reports are the following:
- Advances in Neuroscience: Applications and Ethical implications
- Air quality and good practices
- Ageing and well-being
- Disinformation in the digital age
- Forest fires and burned area restoration
- Advances in neurodegenerative diseases
These six themes were selected from a total of 16 themes proposed by Oficina C in collaboration with its Advisory Committee based on their potential relevance for Spain in the medium term. The Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from Spain´´s leading institutions, organisations, and research associations.
The proposed topics were categorised into four broad categories (environment and sustainability, biomedicine and health, energy and transport, and new technologies and digital society) and met the criteria of limited scope, medium-term relevance for Spain, scientific-technical evidence, parliamentary relevance, and stimulation of public debate.
The proposed subject areas were:
- Artificial light during the nighttime.
- Air quality and good practices
- Applications of biotechnology for sustainable agriculture.
- Forest fires and burned area restoration
- Sustainable coastal zone management.
- Prevention of new diseases
- Advances in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Active suicide prevention
- Antimicrobial resistance prevention methods.
- Ageing and well-being
- energy storage
- Essential materials for the energy transition.
- Intelligent and sustainable ground transportation.
- Quantum technologies.
- Disinformation in the digital age.
- Neuroscience advancements: applications and ethical implications.
Oficina C will gather scientific and technological evidence over the coming months based on a working method that involves reviewing and contextualising scientific literature, interviewing experts in the field, reviewing by other scientists and technologists, and taking a multidisciplinary approach..
On November 14, the first four Oficina C reports on "Advances in cancer treatment," "Green hydrogen as a fuel," "Cybersecurity," and "Artificial Intelligence and health" were presented and are available here.