sustainability
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Beyond technology: How social sciences and humanities drive human-centric innovation
As the European Union (EU) prepares the groundwork for the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme, many experts have been calling for the human and social dimension of progress to be better integrated into the EU’s research and innovation agenda. The STOA workshop ‘Humanities and social sciences at... -
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Péter Benczúr on measuring wellbeing rather than economic prosperity
“The ultimate objective should always be to provide a good life and wellbeing to all people” Dr Péter Benczúr is a scientific officer at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), where he is one of the coordinators of the transversal work on ‘sustainable and inclusive wellbeing’ (SIWB).... -
Can e-fuels power Europe's low carbon future?
In the spirit of technological neutrality, Europe is exploring multiple pathways to decarbonisation. Among them are e-fuels, whose chemical composition is identical to that of fossil fuels but are produced through synthetic processes rather than extracted and refined. This makes them a potential low-carbon... -
Interview with Corentin Boillet: 'effects of e-fuels becoming more significant only in the long term'
Corentin Boillet is an analyst at Enerdata. He has 5 years of experience in the energy sector and benefits from a broad scientific background in this field. Within Enerdata, he has participated in different assignments on grid flexibility, storage systems, PV, and synthetic fuel. What do we mean... -
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Samanta Bačić on nature-based solutions for climate adaptation
Dr Samanta Bačić is a Senior Assistant in the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy at the University of Split, Croatia. Her primary area of expertise is in geoinformatics with a focus on Geographic Information System (GIS) models tailored for urban environmental management in the context... -
Meeting flood risk with nature-based solutions in EU coastal regions
As the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent, EU citizens are facing growing risks of more severe and frequent flooding. Climate adaptation is being prioritised to meet this risk and protect people, properties and infrastructure, with several EU-funded projects pioneering approaches... -
Plants driving the future of sustainable technology
Scientists across Europe seek inspiration from flora to develop robots and materials. Europe is home to more than 20,000 plant species. Shaped by millions of years of evolution to withstand extreme conditions such as, droughts, floods, and harsh winters, plants convert sunlight into oxygen through... -
A scientist's opinion: interview with Dr Isabella Fiorello on plant-inspired materials and robots
You might not expect plants to be able to jump. But wild oats possess almost magical ability: their seeds, though dead and without muscles, use the energy of moisture to bury themselves in the soil, searching for the spot to start a new life. Dr. Isabella Fiorello leads a research group in the Cluster...