Europeans strongly support science and technology

WHO prioritises access to diabetes and cancer treatments for children

Image: RCSI

A new Eurobarometer survey on European citizens’ knowledge and attitudes towards science and technology released today shows that nine in 10 EU citizens think that the overall influence of science and technology is positive.

They expect a range of technologies currently under development to have a positive effect on our way of life in the next 20 years: notably, solar energy (92 per cent), vaccines and combatting infectious diseases (86 per cent), and artificial intelligence (61 per cent).

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said, “The overall positive attitude towards science and technology is reassuring as they are essential for responding to the coronavirus, climate change, biodiversity loss, and a host of other pressing challenges.

“At the same time, we need to respond to citizens’ concerns that the benefits of science and technology are not equally distributed, to pay more attention to gender dimensions in research content, and to explore how research and innovation can be conducted with higher involvement of the citizens and other stakeholders,” she added on September 23.

The results also reveal a high level of interest in science and technology (82 per cent) and a desire amongst citizens to learn more about it in places like town halls, museums and libraries (54 per cent). In many areas, EU citizens’ interest in, expectations of, and engagement with science and technology have grown in recent years.

Respondents most often mention health and medical care and the fight against climate change when asked in which areas research and innovation can make a difference.

The results are in line with a growing interest in new medical discoveries, which grew from 82 per cent to 86 per cent since 2010.


Thank you for taking the time to read this article, please remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

Comments