TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

estructuring. By 2020, however, burgeoning growth had placed enormous strains on local
environments and social fabric in urban Asia. The physical infrastructure of many cities had not
been able to keep pace with the transformation, and serious problems of air and water quality
emerged. Demand for energy, moreover, was outrunning the capacity for emerging nations to
sustain growth.
One of the unexpected by-products of the formation of the GEA, with its emphasis on
technocratic efficiency, has been the effect on national governments. An emerging consensus in
this “Equality” world about the necessity for sustainable development has resulted in a new
understanding about the role of the government. The conventional understanding, that
governments are merely required to provide security and the legal framework fro markets to
operate successfully, was seen to be too simplistic. Also rejected were the old discredited
“dirigiste” attempts to direct economic growth through centralised command and control. What
has emerged, instead, is a fresh understanding of how governments interact with markets in
order to improve economic performance by providing a clear framework supporting necessary
public goods.
Europe
For Europe in 2030, this is a world of “shared responsibilities”, where unparalleled economic
growth is enjoyed as a result of legal certainty and market transparency. A sustainable and high
quality of life is enjoyed by all, and the integration of Europe has dramatically altered the
global political and economic landscape.
While power remained mainly in the hands of nation states following the enlargement of 2004,
by 2015 the EU government had taken great strides towards replacing national governments as
the overarching authority in most realms of society and the economy – often by default or by
disguise. National governments made few attempts to undermine centralised decisions
thereafter, and the majority of citizens see themselves as increasingly European.
Member states are continually learning from each other, which facilitates the convergence of
ideals. Concepts such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and active
citizenship, have gradually crept into all policy agendas within the EU. European leadership, in
fact, is seen as important for achieving broad international co-operation in areas such as trade
and sustainable development.
During the past fifteen years, since about 2015, Europe has undergone a profound change. In a
favourable global economic climate, it has found a way of reconciling its ideals of solidarity and
respect for the individual with technological innovation and the pursuit of economic efficiency.
At the root of this change undoubtedly lies the transformation of the public sector, which, after
a decade of ambitious reform, has become a facilitator or partner in society. Government
agencies, at all levels, aim to help individuals, firms and civic associations assume their share of
responsibility for the life of the community. On top of this, due to extensive debate and
reform, Europeans have embraced integration. This has conferred greater legitimacy on the EU,
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