Seasonal forecasting is a field with enormous potential influence in different socio-economic sectors, such as water resources, agriculture, health, and energy. Yet, surface climate conditions in Europe still represent a hurdle to formulate skillful seasonal predictions. SD4SP aims to improve simulation and prediction of the remote influence of two dominant tropical variability modes in the North Atlantic-European (NAE) region: El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO); which are the leading modes of interannual variability in the tropical troposphere and stratosphere respectively. ENSO is highly predictable and constitutes the cornerstone of seasonal forecasting. The QBO is well constrained by initialization and has a long persistence, being considered as the most promising source of seasonal forecast quality with ENSO. However, many scientific questions remain unresolved concerning their tropical-extratropical teleconnections, and model systematic errors only worsen the problem. SD4SP will focus on the stratospheric pathway of the ENSO/QBO teleconnections to NAE and pursue gaining insight into the dynamical mechanisms at play. This goal will be undertaken by carrying out an unprecedented set of idealized seasonal forecast experiments to address the contribution of the tropical stratosphere and the polar stratosphere to the prediction skill by suppressing variability in the two stratospheric regions, separately. SD4SP is very timely in helping to reduce model biases and to increase current seasonal forecasting capabilities for the NAE surface climate. The goal of SD4SP is twofold: to identify key sources of predictability and to improve understanding and simulation of the mechanisms responsible for that predictability. SD4SP will bring together theory and applicability disentangling atmospheric teleconnections to satisfactorily exploit them in a seasonal prediction context.

The Paris Agreement is the first international accord to engage with the full-scale investment efforts required to address climate change. Moreover, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as the global benchmark for directing investments to the clean energy sector. And yet, neither scholarship nor practice has illuminated the combined implications of the Paris Agreement and SDGs for determining how businesses can evolve to maintain their competitiveness and fuel the energy transitions to a net-zero emissions society by the second half of the century (Article 4(1) of the Paris Agreement). In this context, the European Union (EU) starts from a vantage point, which is an ambitious internal action plan toward decarbonization (e.g. the European Green Deal (EGD)), but policy design fails to combine Europe's external and internal obligations to support decarbonization technology. This project focuses on one of the most important areas for decarbonization policies, Energy Storage Technology (EST) for renewable energy, to propose a refined regulatory framework to fulfill the EU's external and internal commitments in climate policy. The project investigates how sustainable investment in renewable energy storage can be fostered through effective policy design that includes prosumers (energy-producing consumers), starting in the EU. Empowering and coordinating prosumers and businesses through effective policy design is one of the most promising strategies for the EU to achieve its vision of a citizen-oriented energy future and 100% renewable energy system by 2050. The multidisciplinary nature of the project is strong, involving policy design, EU and international law and sustainable finance. It includes a two-way transfer of knowledge and the training of the candidate in advanced techniques in energy and climate economics. In line with the EGD, the proposed policy is poised to increase EU competitiveness in EST for renewable energy, and results are transferrable.

European Topic Centres (ETCs) are centres of thematic expertise contracted by the EEA to carry out specific tasks identified in the EEA Multiannual Work Programme and the annual work programmes. They are designated by the EEA Management Board following a Europe-wide competitive selection process and work as extensions of the EEA in specific topic areas. Each ETC consists of a lead organisation and specialist partner organisations from the environmental research and information community, which combine their resources in their particular areas of expertise. The ETC/CCA activities on climate change, impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and disaster risk reduction include: -harmonisation, quality assessment and exchange of data and/or information; -processing of climate-related information, including use of models, mapping, analyses, evaluations and (thematic, sectoral and integrated) assessments to describe and analyse the status of the environment in support to sound policy decision making; -update, improvement and development of indicators to communicate the findings to various users; -content maintenance, improvement and further development of Climate-ADAPT; -provision of capacity building in EEA countries.

Majority of the current business models and production technologies are not only unsustainable, they are incapable of delivering long-term transition to low-carbon economy. Many firms are now looking beyond their internal knowledge boundaries in order to be competitive. Access to external knowledge through open innovation has thus been recognized as an important source of firm’s innovativeness. This even becomes more important for eco-innovative firms (EIs) as their knowledge bases are quite complex and diverse. As such, EIs must be willing to pursue an innovation strategy with a large portfolio of external knowledge inputs. As critical as this issue is, few evidence exist on how EIs access both synthetic and analytic external knowledge for competitive advantage. The main objective of this proposal therefore, is to examine the dynamics of alliance portfolio or external knowledge sourcing strategies for eco-innovation in the manufacturing and service sectors of Nigeria using both qualitative and quantitative data. The research will investigate and answer questions such as: to what extent do firms in Nigeria search for knowledge outside their competence before absorbing and internalise such external knowledge to eco-innovate? Is there a threshold beyond which deep search for external knowledge diminishes propensity to eco-innovate? Does R&D reduce cognitive distance between external knowledge providers and EIs? Data will be collected from the firms in both sectors using questionnaire and structured interview guide. The study will use stratified sampling technique to select firms using the National Bureau of Statistics and the Nigerian Stock Exchange registers as sampling frames. The study will borrow from evolutionary economics and national innovation system framework to analyse and discuss some of the findings. This study would contribute to policies that would remove institutional and policy barriers to inclusive and sustainable private sector driven green growth.

The European Union (EU) is rapidly transforming its energy landscape with the goal of becoming the world's first climate-neutral economy by 2050. Yet, nearly 10% of EU population struggles with basic energy needs. Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) - citizen-led initiatives for local clean energy production and sharing – are seen as a solution for combating energy poverty and meeting the EU’s climate targets. Does this model ensure that “no one is left behind” in the energy transition, as envisioned by the EU Green Deal? RECLAIM addresses this pressing question by evaluating how effectively RECs engage with vulnerable groups, particularly those at risk of energy poverty. It focuses on rural areas, which have long faced ecological, social and economic fragilities and are now central to the expansion of new energy developments. RECLAIM aims to: 1) identify vulnerabilities to energy poverty within emerging RECs; 2) assess how RECs facilitate participation and benefit-sharing among vulnerable groups and 3) implement community practices to enhance inclusion. RECLAIM introduces a transdisciplinary approach that weaves together advanced quantitative methods - such as multi-dimensional spatial analysis, Earth Observation, and vulnerability assessment - with qualitative tools, including surveys and participatory research. This innovative approach is made possible through collaboration with leading climate science institutes at CMCC, a secondment with the GIScience Laboratory at the University of Padova, a non-academic placement with an innovative energy start-up, and ongoing interactions with a diverse network of stakeholders engaged in local RECs. As a result, this project creates a unique training environment, boosting the Researcher’s skills and career. Finally, RECLAIM’s methodology aims to set the groundwork for future research pathways aiming to assess the complex impacts of the energy transition, with an emphasis on inclusivity and social equity.