Friday 30 September 2011

Testbed delay

It was announced yesterday that the testbed has been delayed.

http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2011/Pages/spiceupdate.aspx

This decision was prompted by the stagegate panel, who recommended the delay which was supported, I would like to clarify, by the SPICE scientists and engineers. This is in order to undetaker an upstream stakeholder engagement exercise. Several people (mostly science journalists) have contacted me and expected me to be upset, dismayed or 'gutted', as one put it. I feel none of that - I've long realised that engagement is important and I am genuinely looking forward to having sensible, grown up conversations with people with strong opinions, most of whom resonate with my own personal framing.

2 comments:

  1. Can you comment on which stakeholders will be further consulted?

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  2. Hi Josh,

    I think it will be a mixture of Env NGOs and scientists, probably of multiple flavours. I need to be a bit careful, as early discussions with Env NGOs has been very cagey. This is because, whilst they want to talk, they cannot do anything that undermines the strong line they're taking on carbon dioxide reduction. It will have to be clear that, if they do engage, they do so without endorsment.

    It's all a bit ethereal at the moment, but we should be getting some help. What is clear is that the stakeholders should be allowed to frame the questions and set (most) of the terms. Everyone involved will have to come with an open mind, including SPICE, otherwise it's not engagement...

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