"Green transition for competitive and sustainable research infrastructures" – recording now available

An exchange on fostering the critical knowledge and best practices 

Climate change and environmental degradation are affecting all of us, and therefore increased focus is being placed on public policies and investments fostering sustainable growth and building on technological developments especially in the area of green ICT and energy efficiency. 

Research infrastructures play a key role in this context, as drivers through scientific discoveries and scientific advances that address societal challenges, such as climate change, and as pioneers of the green transition through the innovative technologies, green ICT and other sustainable solutions they adopt for their own operations. 

The “Green transition for competitive and sustainable research infrastructures” event held virtually on the 1 December 2021, 11:30 -13.00 CET aimed to raise awareness, and encourage an exchange on the challenges and the success stories of green transition especially for research infrastructures. 

Through a series of talks, speakers, Jean-Eric Paquet (EC DG RTD), Jana Kolar (CERIC - ERIC) and Kimmo Koski (CSC) highlighted issues of policy and implementation, opportunities and best practices facilitating green transition for research infrastructures. The panel discussion, joined by Christos Arvanitidis (Lifewatch ERIC), Lilli Freda (EPOS ERIC), Markku Kulmala (INAR / University of Helsinki), Rene Martins (EC DG RTD) and Sverre Quale ( ECCSEL ERIC) addressed broader issues such as priorities in terms of investments and scientific agendas, operational and strategic, the engagement of key stakeholders national and European level, incentives and impact assessment.

The focus on urgency and joint responsibility was stressed throughout the discussions and talks:  “We need to collectively focus on the urgency of providing critical knowledge and solutions (...)  research infrastructures very much see themselves as full actors of this transformation, transformation of the research and innovation landscape area and transformation of our economies and societies” stressed DG RTD Director general Jean-Eric Paquet. He concluded by saying that “Europe’s research agenda is, of course, broader than the green and digital transformation but is increasingly and rightly so, focused on it and research infrastructures need to provide the science and the knowledge to drive solutions. They need to do it supported at EU level but also from their own initiative aligning their capacities and research agendas.”

View the full event recording below: