sustainability
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 of climate change and green transition goals. She ...
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 using nature-based solutions. The impacts of flooding were especially evident in 2024, when ...
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 photosynthesis, protect the soil from erosion and, not to forget, ...
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 of ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Mònica Mir Llorente on robotic plant roots
In humans and animals, the brain sends signals to indicate hunger, animals go hunting, while humans go to the refrigerator. But in plants, this process is controlled by the roots, which grow toward areas rich in nutrients. This idea inspired the study “Biomimetic Plant-Root-Inspired Robotic Sensor System”, which was developed within the framework of the ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Michael Hennessy Picard on space sustainability
Dr Michael Hennessy Picard holds a PhD in Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal (Canada) and is a Lecturer in International Environmental Law at the University of Edinburgh (UK). He is working on the regulatory oversight of satellite re-entry, ablation and atmospheric pollution. Can you explain the concept of “space debris” and what ...
Towards a sustainable space economy
The space economy is a rapidly developing sector projected to grow at an average annual rate of 9%, reaching over 1.5 trillion euros by 2035. However, to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities, it is essential to address their environmental impact on Earth and beyond, from atmospheric emissions to the growing accumulation of space ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund on space sustainability
Pascale Ehrenfreund is the President of the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) and Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs in Washington DC. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Space Foundation and as Member of the Global Future Council on Space of the World Economic Forum. For three decades she contributed ...