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International Forum of R&D for Eco-innovation: Research for combining environmental priorities with economic opportunities
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What is the Forum about
This two-day event will is a unique opportunity to identify, discuss, prioritise and recommend research needs for eco-innovations as a feedback of the international scientific community for planning the future Workprogrammes of FP7 as well as joint actions under the prepared ERA-Net Research for Eco-Innovation proposal. It will also help networking and promoting the existing eco-innovation research potential across Europe.
What is eco-innovation and why research on that topic is so important
Eco-innovation means all forms of innovation activities resulting in or aimed at significantly improving environmental protection. Eco-innovation includes new production processes, new products and services and new management and business methods, the use or implementation of which is likely to prevent or substantially reduce the risks to the environment, pollution and any other negative impact of the use of resources throughout the lifecycle of related activities.
Eco-innovation is considered as the key element in meeting the challenges of sustainability. Each aspect of innovation should not be perceived as an advancement without considering its impacts on the environment already at the earliest stages of its development. This means that eco-innovation focused research, as a horizontal issue plays the role of a cornerstone for new, green solutions needed to accomplish the ambitious environmental goals while ensuring the growth and competitiveness of Europe’s economy.
Topics and sessions
The topics and the sessions of the forum are aimed at identification and discussion of the research needs for eco-innovation resulting from the challenges of the recently adopted strategic documents and initiatives such as the Climate and Energy Package or the New Waste Directive. Water issues are also among the priorities to be addressed. At scarcity of water, alternative sources of its supply should contribute to its efficient use and management. A separate session will be devoted to improving the governance of research programmes addressing eco-innovation on regional, national and European level. The mentioned challenges will require undertaking new research efforts to meet them which should be well coordinated and consolidated on the regional, national and European level. In this aspect the forum will contribute to the development of the ERA-Net Research for Eco-innovation proposal.
At each of the thematic sessions up to 4 short presentations will be provided by international speakers to set the scene for the moderated coffee-style table discussions.
During the final session a presentation and discussion of the forum outputs in a form of a panel discussion will be organised. Examples of topics to be discussed at the session are presented in the agenda [PDF].
The speakers
We invited scientists from all over Europe, representing different scientific disciplines to give their insights on the research needs for eco-innovation and drivers that stimulate them. Their presentations will serve as a background for group discussions during the sessions.
See the list of speakers [PDF].
Who should attend
The forum should gather researchers of different scientific backgrounds embraced in the broad concept of eco-innovation, representatives of research networks, as well as managers and founders of research programmes addressing eco-innovation. We expect max 100 participants. To register send us your registration form [DOC] before 16 October 2009.
What do we want to accomplish together
Our intention is to work out a set of recommendations, ideas and topics addressing both research needs and the governance of the eco-innovation research programmes for consideration of the European Commission in designing the workprogrammes of the future calls in FP7 as well as for the consortium of the ERA-Net Research for Eco-Innovation proposal. The results in a form of a report will be presented to DG Research. |