Final Report Summary - RECREATE (REsearch network for forward looking activities and assessment of research and innovation prospects in the fields of Climate, Resource Efficiency and raw mATErials)
Executive Summary:
RECREATE stands for “Research network for forward-looking activities and assessment of research and innovation prospects in the fields of Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and raw mATErials”. It has been a Coordination and Support Action carried out by a consortium consisting of 16 research organisations and industry players and led by the Joint Institute for Innovation Policy (JIIP). In addition to the consortium members, RECREATE has also set up and continuously developed a large network of key stakeholders in the relevant fields. The project has run for five years, from July 2013 until June 2018.
The overall objective of the project has been to support the development of the European Union’s R&I funding programme Horizon 2020, with a specific focus on “Societal Challenge 5: Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials”, by providing and evidence base.
RECREATE has worked towards this objective by focusing on the following five pillars:
1) Creation, launch and engagement of a broad STAKEHOLDER NETWORK
2) Development and continuous update of the RECREATE GREEN HORIZONS SCOREBOARD benchmarking the performance of the EU member states in the different RECREATE fields
3) Elaboration of EVIDENCE-BASED NARRATIVES (EBNs) analysing the potential of selected innovations in the different RECREATE fields
4) FORWARD-LOOKING ACTIVITIES and development of future SCENARIOS including an analysis of implications for R&I policies related to the different RECREATE fields
5) Production of POLICY BRIEFS with R&I information, trends and strategic options for EU research managers and policy makers
RECREATE results have been widely disseminated via the distribution of policy briefs, two separate websites, videos, e-mailings and social media as well as events.
Project Context and Objectives:
The overall objective of the project has been to support the development of the European Union’s R&I funding programme Horizon 2020, with a specific focus on “Societal Challenge 5: Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials”, by providing and evidence base. In order to achieve this, RECREATE has been built on the following five “pillars”, corresponding to distinct but interconnected activities within the project:
1) Creation, launch and engagement of a broad STAKEHOLDER NETWORK
2) Development and continuous update of a SCOREBOARD benchmarking the performance of the EU member states in the different RECREATE fields
3) Elaboration of EVIDENCE-BASED NARRATIVES (EBNs) analysing the potential of selected innovations in the different RECREATE fields
4) FORWARD-LOOKING ACTIVITIES and development of future SCENARIOS including an analysis of implications for R&I policies related to the different RECREATE fields
5) Production of POLICY BRIEFS with R&I information, trends and strategic options for EU research managers and policy makers
Project Results:
At the end of its project period, RECREATE has achieved the expected results in all the above five pillars. The majority of results have received very positive feedback from the target audience.
Stakeholder network
During the five years of RECREATE, the project team has managed to establish and maintain a stable stakeholder network of around 1200 individuals from industry, academia and public administrations. Four strategic stakeholder workshops have been organised during the project, with around 100 external registrations each. In addition, a number of smaller, more focused workshops have also been held, with a number between 25 and 60 external registrations each. The RECREATE team is actively exploring possibilities for sustaining the network also after the end of the project, possibly in conjunction with the equally EU-funded project Green.eu/ inno4sd.
Scoreboard
With the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, the RECREATE team has developed a new tool to analyse and benchmark European countries’ performance related to eco-innovation and circular economy. The novelty and uniqueness of the scoreboard lies in the combination of indicators and the underlying methodological approach. It is based on Hekkert’s Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework and covers 11 different innovation systems. In provides up-to-date data related to all seven TIS functions of all 11 innovation systems. It allows for cross-country as well as for time-series analyses. In order to be able to optimise the technical possibilities, the scoreboard has been implemented on the separate and dedicated website https://green-horizons.eu. Both experts and policy-makers have provided very positive feedback on the final version of the scoreboard.
Evidence-based narratives (EBNs)
Also the Evidence-based narratives (EBNs) are a new methodological development by RECREATE. They offer a new way of assessing the potential of (eco-)innovations that is more flexible, more easily comprehensible as well as more inspiring than classical impact assessments. Furthermore, based equally on the TIS approach, they offer concrete advice concerning the points where policy-making can concretely support the further development and/or spread of these innovations. RECREATE has applied this new approach and produced 20 exemplary EBNs, covering the following five different fields: Climate Information Services; Nature-based Solutions; Systemic Eco-innovation to Realise a Circular Economy; Sustainable Urban Material Management; Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Systems; Sustainable Urban Adaptation and Resilience.
RECREATE Scenarios
Next to the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard and the EBNs, the RECREATE Scenarios constituted the third key output of the project. These scenarios sketch possible alternative futures concerning the way research and innovation will be organised and funded in the year 2050. The final three scenarios are titled: (1) Global Innovation Communities for Growth; (2) Participatory Research and Innovation Arenas; and (3) European Scientific Powerhouse. The final scenario report concludes with a proposal concerning 6 concrete R&I missions for the next EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe.
Policy guidance
Based on the results of the Scoreboard, EBN and Scenario tasks, RECREATE has published 10 RECREATE Policy Briefs, that summarise and translate the outputs of these tasks in a short, concise and easily digestible format. Furthermore, a RECREATE Summary Pocket Book has been produced, which summarises the results of the project as a whole. A large number of print copies of these Policy Briefs and the Summary Pocket Book has been distributed at the various RECREATE events. The digital versions are available on the RECREATE website, with several hundreds of downloads per document.
Potential Impact:
As a Coordination and Support Action, RECREATE has the direct objective of contributing to evidence-based policy-making. More specifically, the intention is that on the basis of the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, the Evidence-based narratives (EBNs) and the RECREATE Scenarios, R&I policy-makers in the field of Climate Action, Resource Efficiency, Raw Materials as well as Environment can take decisions that facilitate and accelerate the transition towards a greener, more sustainable and more circular economic model.
In order to achieve these impacts, the results of RECREATE have been disseminated in the following ways:
RECREATE Policy Briefs and Summary Pocket Book
Based on the results of the Scoreboard, EBN and Scenario tasks, RECREATE has published 10 RECREATE Policy Briefs, that summarise and translate the outputs of these tasks in a short, concise and easily digestible format. Furthermore, a RECREATE Summary Pocket Book has been produced, which summarises the results of the project as a whole. A large number of print copies of these Policy Briefs and the Summary Pocket Book has been distributed at the various RECREATE events. The digital versions are available on the RECREATE website, with several hundreds of downloads per document.
RECREATE websites
Two separate project websites have been set up. One is the general project website, to be found at www.recreate-net.eu. All key deliverables, policy briefs as well as the videos can be found on that site. Statistics concerning site visits, downloads etc. can be found in the fourth periodic report.
In addition, a separate website has been set up for the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, to be found at www.green-horizons.eu. The reason for deploying the Scoreboard on a separate website is twofold. First, the objective is very clearly to ensure continuity of the Scoreboard beyond the lifetime of the RECREATE project. Second, as the Scoreboard site is highly interactive and therefore has a rather complex structure in itself, it is more practical to have it at a separate site.
Videos
Two separate videos have been produced at the end of the project, which are quite different in nature even though both do have a clear focus on disseminating RECREATE results. The first video is a general dissemination video, explaining in a short and catchy way the various tools that RECREATE has developed and the main rationale and potential behind them. It does not go into any details but has the aim of raising the “appetite” of the viewer to download and read the various project outputs.
The second video is less about raising interest but about giving guidance and instruction with regard to one very specific RECREATE output. More specifically, it is an instructional video which takes the viewer through various exemplary use cases and, this way, explains the various types of analyses that the Scoreboard allows for.
Social media
RECREATE results and project updates have also been disseminated via social media and e-mailings.
With regard to the Scoreboard, a dedicated twitter account had been set up by project partner UCL, which can be reached at https://twitter.com/GrnHrznScbrd.
Apart from the Scoreboard-specific communications, project results and updates were communicated via the following accounts:
- https://twitter.com/jiip_eu
- https://twitter.com/EARMAorg
- https://twitter.com/SusChem
- https://twitter.com/PIK_Climate
- https://twitter.com/PNOconsultants
- https://twitter.com/tecnalia
- https://twitter.com/ArcelorMittal
- https://twitter.com/Cefic
- https://twitter.com/DTUtweet
- https://twitter.com/EcologicBerlin
- https://twitter.com/RISEsweden
- https://twitter.com/Wupperinst
- https://twitter.com/VTTFinland
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-joint-institute-for-innovation-policy-jiip-/
Events
Last but not least, RECREATE results have been disseminated at a large number of events. During the course of the project, four strategic stakeholder workshops have been organised, with around 100 external registrations per workshop. Furthermore, a number of smaller, more targeted workshops have been held; notably, this also included two Dinner Debates at the European Parliament. In addition, RECREATE results have been disseminated at a large number of external events. Last but not least, RECREATE results have been presented at the Final Conference on 12 June in the Brussels Square Meeting Centre.
List of Websites:
www.recreate-net.eu
RECREATE stands for “Research network for forward-looking activities and assessment of research and innovation prospects in the fields of Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and raw mATErials”. It has been a Coordination and Support Action carried out by a consortium consisting of 16 research organisations and industry players and led by the Joint Institute for Innovation Policy (JIIP). In addition to the consortium members, RECREATE has also set up and continuously developed a large network of key stakeholders in the relevant fields. The project has run for five years, from July 2013 until June 2018.
The overall objective of the project has been to support the development of the European Union’s R&I funding programme Horizon 2020, with a specific focus on “Societal Challenge 5: Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials”, by providing and evidence base.
RECREATE has worked towards this objective by focusing on the following five pillars:
1) Creation, launch and engagement of a broad STAKEHOLDER NETWORK
2) Development and continuous update of the RECREATE GREEN HORIZONS SCOREBOARD benchmarking the performance of the EU member states in the different RECREATE fields
3) Elaboration of EVIDENCE-BASED NARRATIVES (EBNs) analysing the potential of selected innovations in the different RECREATE fields
4) FORWARD-LOOKING ACTIVITIES and development of future SCENARIOS including an analysis of implications for R&I policies related to the different RECREATE fields
5) Production of POLICY BRIEFS with R&I information, trends and strategic options for EU research managers and policy makers
RECREATE results have been widely disseminated via the distribution of policy briefs, two separate websites, videos, e-mailings and social media as well as events.
Project Context and Objectives:
The overall objective of the project has been to support the development of the European Union’s R&I funding programme Horizon 2020, with a specific focus on “Societal Challenge 5: Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials”, by providing and evidence base. In order to achieve this, RECREATE has been built on the following five “pillars”, corresponding to distinct but interconnected activities within the project:
1) Creation, launch and engagement of a broad STAKEHOLDER NETWORK
2) Development and continuous update of a SCOREBOARD benchmarking the performance of the EU member states in the different RECREATE fields
3) Elaboration of EVIDENCE-BASED NARRATIVES (EBNs) analysing the potential of selected innovations in the different RECREATE fields
4) FORWARD-LOOKING ACTIVITIES and development of future SCENARIOS including an analysis of implications for R&I policies related to the different RECREATE fields
5) Production of POLICY BRIEFS with R&I information, trends and strategic options for EU research managers and policy makers
Project Results:
At the end of its project period, RECREATE has achieved the expected results in all the above five pillars. The majority of results have received very positive feedback from the target audience.
Stakeholder network
During the five years of RECREATE, the project team has managed to establish and maintain a stable stakeholder network of around 1200 individuals from industry, academia and public administrations. Four strategic stakeholder workshops have been organised during the project, with around 100 external registrations each. In addition, a number of smaller, more focused workshops have also been held, with a number between 25 and 60 external registrations each. The RECREATE team is actively exploring possibilities for sustaining the network also after the end of the project, possibly in conjunction with the equally EU-funded project Green.eu/ inno4sd.
Scoreboard
With the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, the RECREATE team has developed a new tool to analyse and benchmark European countries’ performance related to eco-innovation and circular economy. The novelty and uniqueness of the scoreboard lies in the combination of indicators and the underlying methodological approach. It is based on Hekkert’s Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework and covers 11 different innovation systems. In provides up-to-date data related to all seven TIS functions of all 11 innovation systems. It allows for cross-country as well as for time-series analyses. In order to be able to optimise the technical possibilities, the scoreboard has been implemented on the separate and dedicated website https://green-horizons.eu. Both experts and policy-makers have provided very positive feedback on the final version of the scoreboard.
Evidence-based narratives (EBNs)
Also the Evidence-based narratives (EBNs) are a new methodological development by RECREATE. They offer a new way of assessing the potential of (eco-)innovations that is more flexible, more easily comprehensible as well as more inspiring than classical impact assessments. Furthermore, based equally on the TIS approach, they offer concrete advice concerning the points where policy-making can concretely support the further development and/or spread of these innovations. RECREATE has applied this new approach and produced 20 exemplary EBNs, covering the following five different fields: Climate Information Services; Nature-based Solutions; Systemic Eco-innovation to Realise a Circular Economy; Sustainable Urban Material Management; Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Systems; Sustainable Urban Adaptation and Resilience.
RECREATE Scenarios
Next to the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard and the EBNs, the RECREATE Scenarios constituted the third key output of the project. These scenarios sketch possible alternative futures concerning the way research and innovation will be organised and funded in the year 2050. The final three scenarios are titled: (1) Global Innovation Communities for Growth; (2) Participatory Research and Innovation Arenas; and (3) European Scientific Powerhouse. The final scenario report concludes with a proposal concerning 6 concrete R&I missions for the next EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe.
Policy guidance
Based on the results of the Scoreboard, EBN and Scenario tasks, RECREATE has published 10 RECREATE Policy Briefs, that summarise and translate the outputs of these tasks in a short, concise and easily digestible format. Furthermore, a RECREATE Summary Pocket Book has been produced, which summarises the results of the project as a whole. A large number of print copies of these Policy Briefs and the Summary Pocket Book has been distributed at the various RECREATE events. The digital versions are available on the RECREATE website, with several hundreds of downloads per document.
Potential Impact:
As a Coordination and Support Action, RECREATE has the direct objective of contributing to evidence-based policy-making. More specifically, the intention is that on the basis of the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, the Evidence-based narratives (EBNs) and the RECREATE Scenarios, R&I policy-makers in the field of Climate Action, Resource Efficiency, Raw Materials as well as Environment can take decisions that facilitate and accelerate the transition towards a greener, more sustainable and more circular economic model.
In order to achieve these impacts, the results of RECREATE have been disseminated in the following ways:
RECREATE Policy Briefs and Summary Pocket Book
Based on the results of the Scoreboard, EBN and Scenario tasks, RECREATE has published 10 RECREATE Policy Briefs, that summarise and translate the outputs of these tasks in a short, concise and easily digestible format. Furthermore, a RECREATE Summary Pocket Book has been produced, which summarises the results of the project as a whole. A large number of print copies of these Policy Briefs and the Summary Pocket Book has been distributed at the various RECREATE events. The digital versions are available on the RECREATE website, with several hundreds of downloads per document.
RECREATE websites
Two separate project websites have been set up. One is the general project website, to be found at www.recreate-net.eu. All key deliverables, policy briefs as well as the videos can be found on that site. Statistics concerning site visits, downloads etc. can be found in the fourth periodic report.
In addition, a separate website has been set up for the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard, to be found at www.green-horizons.eu. The reason for deploying the Scoreboard on a separate website is twofold. First, the objective is very clearly to ensure continuity of the Scoreboard beyond the lifetime of the RECREATE project. Second, as the Scoreboard site is highly interactive and therefore has a rather complex structure in itself, it is more practical to have it at a separate site.
Videos
Two separate videos have been produced at the end of the project, which are quite different in nature even though both do have a clear focus on disseminating RECREATE results. The first video is a general dissemination video, explaining in a short and catchy way the various tools that RECREATE has developed and the main rationale and potential behind them. It does not go into any details but has the aim of raising the “appetite” of the viewer to download and read the various project outputs.
The second video is less about raising interest but about giving guidance and instruction with regard to one very specific RECREATE output. More specifically, it is an instructional video which takes the viewer through various exemplary use cases and, this way, explains the various types of analyses that the Scoreboard allows for.
Social media
RECREATE results and project updates have also been disseminated via social media and e-mailings.
With regard to the Scoreboard, a dedicated twitter account had been set up by project partner UCL, which can be reached at https://twitter.com/GrnHrznScbrd.
Apart from the Scoreboard-specific communications, project results and updates were communicated via the following accounts:
- https://twitter.com/jiip_eu
- https://twitter.com/EARMAorg
- https://twitter.com/SusChem
- https://twitter.com/PIK_Climate
- https://twitter.com/PNOconsultants
- https://twitter.com/tecnalia
- https://twitter.com/ArcelorMittal
- https://twitter.com/Cefic
- https://twitter.com/DTUtweet
- https://twitter.com/EcologicBerlin
- https://twitter.com/RISEsweden
- https://twitter.com/Wupperinst
- https://twitter.com/VTTFinland
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-joint-institute-for-innovation-policy-jiip-/
Events
Last but not least, RECREATE results have been disseminated at a large number of events. During the course of the project, four strategic stakeholder workshops have been organised, with around 100 external registrations per workshop. Furthermore, a number of smaller, more targeted workshops have been held; notably, this also included two Dinner Debates at the European Parliament. In addition, RECREATE results have been disseminated at a large number of external events. Last but not least, RECREATE results have been presented at the Final Conference on 12 June in the Brussels Square Meeting Centre.
List of Websites:
www.recreate-net.eu