Europe has no shortage of water innovation. What it needs is a better way to deploy it.
Water Europe published its new Position Paper on the EU Ocean and Water Research & Innovation Strategy, calling for a shift in the way Europe designs and funds water research. Rather than treating deployment as the final step of innovation, the future Strategy must adopt a “Deployment by Design” approach, embedding validation, replication, investment, procurement and implementation from the very beginning of every research programme.
The future EU Ocean and Water R&I Strategy should become the delivery engine of the European Water Resilience Strategy, connecting scientific excellence with measurable impact on Europe’s water security, competitiveness and environmental resilience. To achieve this, Water Europe proposes five strategic priorities:
- Deliver the objectives of the European Water Resilience Strategy;
- Build a European research and deployment infrastructure centred on Water-Oriented Living Labs;
- Strengthen European leadership through international cooperation;
- Establish a European Digital Water Intelligence Infrastructure;
- Create an innovation-friendly regulatory and investment environment.
Water Europe believes that the next EU Ocean and Water R&I Strategy represents a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation. By building on the lessons learned from successful European projects and embedding deployment into the design of future research programmes, Europe can accelerate the transition towards a Water-Smart Society, strengthen its competitiveness and deliver the ambitions of the European Water Resilience Strategy.
Read Water Europe’s Position Paper and discover our recommendations for making research and innovation the delivery engine of Europe’s water resilience.
