National comprehensive reviews on Environmental and Sustainability Research and Innovation needs, Funding and Science Policy and Practice Interactions

Abstract

The Basque Country is a small, high-density region with a high degree of industrialization, capillary and advanced governance, self-government and fiscal autonomy, political stability, a commitment to sustainability and a high degree of socio-cultural, business and scientific-technological cohesion. It is therefore in reality a ‘regional laboratory for environmental transition policies’, which can make the right decisions after agile experimentation with new R&I mechanisms based on adapting best practices or detailed benchmarking (e.g. CASRI). Both environmental planning with its Environmental Framework Program (PMA) and multiple climate-environmental sub-programs and RDI planning with its Basque Science and Technology Plan (PCTI) are more than two decades old and highly mature. While energy-climate and spatial planning are the most long-term research topics, a comprehensive environmental transition still has room for improvement, and there are gaps both in how to implement it in the long term and in how to finance it in a stable way in order to be able to tackle it. The existence of several public agencies that are essential for a green transition (Ihobe is responsible for environment, Eve for energy, Ura for water, Hazi for agro-forestry, Spri for business, Brta for R&I, etc...) and the function of the former as an integral dynamization of the environmental policy cycle increases the chances of success of different experiments in the field of the Science-Policy-Practice Interaction (SPPI) and the approach to the green transition in the Basque Country. The comprehensively reviewed ES R&I needs for the 4 CASRI themes shows a clear technological focus on ‘resilient, net-zero, circular production systems’ and ‘nature & environmentally friendly energy transition’, which, despite mapping 8 needs, does not sufficiently develop the SPPI by focusing reactively mainly on business demands. The most important priorities for CASRI are: 1) The Smart Economic Environmental Flows Data System in order to make optimal environmental policy decisions based on Artificial Intelligence (AI); 2) Ensuring the environmental (Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), biodiversity), economic (Life Cycle Costs (LCC)) and societal sustainability of major investments in the energy transition (green hydrogen, renewables). The largest number of R&I needs have been mapped in ‘biodiversity and climate’ (17), as the SPPI is particularly developed in the field of climate adaptation thanks to the Basque Country's commitment to the EU Adaptation Mission, which is deployed with its own funds and large European projects aimed at demonstrating solutions to highly transferable challenges. Currently, the most important challenge is the establishment of comprehensive models and criteria based on data to ensure the validation of alternative solutions to be demonstrated and subsequently transferred to similar cases. The integration of science-based climate resilience and soil protection criteria into key territorial instruments (Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Spatial Planning Guidelines,...) as well as the design and development of a cost-effective soil quality monitoring system are also considered of great relevance for the environmental transition. In ‘sustainable urbanization’, with 7 mapped needs, despite the existence of specific Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I) groups and a participation in the EU Mission Cities, there are still important knowledge gaps for a green transition. The most relevant need is the development of integrated criteria (Economic, Environment, Societal) of Urban Regeneration for long-term sustainable decisions based on eco-economic, environmental and social data, which in turn is linked to experimenting in the corresponding deliberative processes, a cross-cutting priority that also affects other areas. Finally, in the cross-cutting area, the integral aspects of One Health gain relevance together with the involvement of citizens (as consumers and in the development of science itself). Technological R&D&I is well organised in the Basque Country, with significant own funds and a high level of participation in European projects. For RDI for Science and Knowledge for Policy (S4P and K4P), two sources of funding are used, i.e. the public agencies' own lines (Ihobe, Eve, Hazi, etc.) based on public tenders and European projects (Horizon EU and Life) which, on occasions, do not meet the most relevant needs. It is essential to organize, give coherence and visibility, at least thematically, to the already existing funds for SPPI in order to then reinforce with own budgets (incl. the limited EU Cohesion Funds or other EU sources) the funding earmarked for it, preferably with a specific program that improves the previous pilot experience (Basque Klimatek Program). It is also considered most cost-effective to deploy the opportunity to work on common needs at European level through the mechanisms resulting from the CASRI initiative. The difficulty of accessing funds for demonstration projects (e.g. in climate adaptation and soil protection) that demonstrate and optimize real solutions in order to massively transfer them for actual deployment of transitions should also be highlighted. While there are simple and agile ways to build trust and confidence for long-term collaboration between environmental agencies, it seems appropriate to explore in more detail the possibility of generating an EU-backed public or public-private fund to finance common R&I priorities. Regarding the improvement of the Science Practice Policy Interface (SPPI), progress and improvements have been made in a less structured way. It does seem advisable to expand recently created Basque Country mechanisms of a thematic nature (e.g. the Technical Commission on Soil Protection, the Scientific Commission on Climate Change, etc.), in order to reach a consensus on priorities in S4P and K4P. The socialization of these priorities is also a relevant activity. The opportunity to coordinate these priorities and their synergies, usually thematic, in a Regional SPPI Council with a SRIA focused on S4P and K4P should be considered. In addition, strengthening the intelligent and stable conversation between science and policy is necessary, for which the European Environment Agency and its National EPAs Network can play a key supporting role, and it is proposed to provide the appropriate material and dynamics to accelerate this process. Quelle: Bericht