Social Innovation Solutions, in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office of Romania and Smart Innovation Norway, has launched the Climate Paths Good Practices Guide, a strategic tool designed to accelerate Romania’s green transition. The guide, targeted at researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, offers practical recommendations for adopting green technologies and sustainable solutions, contributing to the fight against climate change.
The Climate Paths project, spearheaded by Social Innovation Solutions (SIS), an organization recognized for its sustainability and social innovation initiatives, brought together over 200 experts during the “Bilateral Green Innovation: Climate Solutions” Forum in Bucharest, in October 2024. The event examined research challenges and identified actionable solutions for integrating green technologies.
Following the forum, a Romanian delegation visited Norway to explore innovative ecosystems such as EIK Lab and Aggrator. These ecosystems exemplify successful collaboration between research and entrepreneurship to develop sustainable solutions. Simplified access to European funding has enabled the rapid implementation of cutting-edge technologies in Norway, including advanced carbon capture systems and digital energy optimization tools.
These activities resulted in the creating of the Climate Paths Good Practices Guide, which summarizes key challenges and solutions for transforming Romania’s research and innovation ecosystem.
“The Climate Paths Guide is more than a list of recommendations—it’s an opportunity to rethink how Romania approaches research and innovation. We now have clear examples of best practices that can be adapted to accelerate the green transition and create a tangible impact on the economy and society.” – Ciprian Stănescu, President, Social Innovation Solutions
Download the full guide here: https://bit.ly/3CmYfJy
Challenges Hindering Innovation
Romania’s research sector faces systemic issues that hinder the development of a competitive and sustainable innovation ecosystem. Chronic underfunding limits progress in key areas such as climate change and the green transition, with Romania still allocating one of the lowest GDP percentages for research and development in the European Union.
Insufficient research infrastructure reduces the ability to implement advanced technologies and weakens international collaborations. Excessive bureaucracy discourages researchers from participating in European projects and complicates technology transfer processes. Additionally, the absence of a stable, predictable legislative framework deters private investment in research and development.
These problems are exacerbated by the brain drain of young researchers, who often seek opportunities abroad due to low salaries, limited prospects, and an academic culture that fails to encourage innovation or interdisciplinary collaboration. Furthermore, weak partnerships between academia and the private sector impede technology transfer and the commercialization of innovations.
“Transforming Romania’s research ecosystem requires a concerted effort and a long-term approach. The Climate Paths Guide provides a solid framework to overcome current barriers and create an innovation ecosystem tailored to the country’s economic and social realities.” – Mihaela Frăsineanu, State Advisor, Prime Minister’s Office of Romania
Key Takeaways: Solutions for Transforming Romanian Research
Inspired by Norwegian best practices, the Climate Paths Guide proposes pragmatic solutions to address current challenges and position research as a driver of the green transition in Romania:
- Establish a stable and predictable legislative framework to support both fundamental and applied research while fostering investments in green technologies.
- Develop effective public-private partnerships to enable rapid technology transfer and innovation commercialization by connecting academia, the private sector, and public authorities.
- Increase public and private investments in research through dedicated funding mechanisms and simplified administrative processes for accessing funds.
- Implement training and education programs to integrate young researchers into the innovation ecosystem. These programs should focus on the skills required for the green transition.
- Build collaborative innovation ecosystems supported by technology incubators, interdisciplinary laboratories, and collaborative networks modeled after successful initiatives in Norway.
Intensified international cooperation is essential for transferring knowledge and innovative technologies to ensure Romania plays an active role in Europe’s green transition. Integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles into all research and innovation policies will further strengthen Romania’s position as a regional leader in sustainability and green technologies.The guide is part of the broader project Climate Paths: Innovative Methods for Mitigating Climate and Environmental Impact (CASE NUMBER: 2024/392445), implemented by Social Innovation Solutions in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office of Romania and Smart Innovation Norway. The project is funded through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014–2021 and managed by Innovation Norway as part of the Open Call for Bilateral Cooperation in the Green Transition.
