Minors and social media, drought and territorial development, the new topics selected by the Congress Bureau

The Bureau of the Congress of Deputies, in their meeting of 25 Feb 2025, selected from the proposal of the parliamentary groups, three new topics for the production of Reports C which are:

• Drought in Spain.
• Minors in social media.
• Territorial development: opportunities and challenges in rural areas.

These three areas have been selected from 20 topics proposed by the Oficina C, in collaboration with its advisory council, which consists of representatives from leading national research institutions and organisations, based on their potential relevance for Spain in the medium term.

Additionally, this year there have been some suggestions from society gathered in the public consultation carried out in 2024. Through an online form on the Oficina C website, anyone interested had the opportunity to propose ideas on relevant issues. Of the 330 proposals received, 14 have contributed, in whole or in part, to the list of topics presented to the Congress Bureau.

The proposed issues were grouped into three broad areas—biotechnology and medicine, energy and the environment, and society and new technologies—and met the criteria of having a defined scope, medium-term relevance for Spain, the existence of scientific and technical evidence, parliamentary relevance, and the potential to stimulate public debate.

The 20 topics proposed were:

• Alterations in the quantity and quality of sleep.
• Advances in regenerative medicine.
• Prevention of re-emerging diseases.
• Strategies against antimicrobial resistance.
• Childhood obesity.
• Artificial light in the nocturnal environment.
• Applications of biotechnology for sustainable agriculture.
• Options for the elimination of atmospheric CO₂.
• Drought in Spain.
• Nuclear fusion energy.
• Renewable energies in Spain: current state and prospects.
• Pollinator decline.
• Plastic waste.
• Treatment for urban residual waters: challenges and opportunities.
• Minors and alcohol consumption.
• Minors and social media.
• Current perspectives on quantum technologies.
• Waste in space.
• Territorial development: opportunities and challenges in rural areas.
• Homelessness.

In the coming months, we will gather knowledge on the selected topics according to Method C, which combines a review of scientific literature, interviews with scientists and experts on the topics, and an interdisciplinary analysis.