Emerging technologies, emerging markets – fostering the innovation potential of research infrastructures
1 Introduction
Societies are facing a number of environmental grand challenges (ENVRIplus WP 12) interlinking the four domains covered by ENVRIplus. The data provided by RIs through environmental observation is crucial in tackling these challenges. The present research supports this environmental monitoring role by facilitating the supply of novel measurement techniques, able to reinforce the role and impact of RIs.
1.1 Grand challenges
Climate change is a global issue caused by anthropogenic emissions of climate forcers, especially long lived greenhouse gases (GHG). Climate positive feedbacks take place in remote, vulnerable regional ecosystems (e.g. permafrost, Kuhry et al. 2013) mediated by GHGs are a major threat to be investigated and monitored over the long term. Air quality is another biggest issue. Human death associated to air pollution remain at significantly high levels. Ubiquitous aerosols result in complex effects on climate and in adverse health impacts. Further increase of temperatures cause the threat that Amazonian or Siberian forests become more vulnerable to fires. Changes in the environment include changes in the biosphere and, thus, the agriculture and food production (Parry et al. 2004). Due to droughts, most of the farmlands may turn into deserts, this would in turn challenge food security. Contrary to general belief, the agricultural activities will not be expanded to the northern regions in these conditions, because they will be limited with the poor land quality. Meat production, considered as one of the main sources of GHG, does not help to stabilize the situation, as it takes many plant-based nutrients to produce animal-based food. Monitoring environmental parameters of the oceans is another task of great importance. Ocean systems stay in close relation to the other domains and are heavily influenced by any changes of environmental parameters. Thus, rise of the average temperatures will shift the habitual areas of numerous fish species and may influence the procreation of others. Large concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere above sea waters will decrease the solubility of oxygen in the water preventing sea animals from breathing. At the same time, dissolved CO2 can cause acidification of the water, preventing corals and other sea inhabitants from binding carbon and building shell structures.
1.2 Position of this work in the current landscape
Monitoring environmental parameters and climate change is a complex task which answers grand challenges. It is of crucial importance (Bell and Joseph 2018) for all countries and societies. Development of technologies for such monitoring is in huge demand and driven by numerous factors (fig.1). Among them are demand for the high quality of measurements and development of new types of measurements, reduction of measurements costs, necessity to control the pollution and avoiding the legislative responsibility for the contamination of the environment. Besides, there is a large societal demand based on the ongoing decrease of air, soil and water quality. Environmental monitoring is a complicated activity, because technical requirements for the innovative measurement platforms, systems and sensors can vary significantly across regions and domains. Such variations certainly create unwanted difficulties for the technology producers, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), due to their generally limited resources. European businesses are limited in their development in this field due to the inability to overcome the technological differences, to overview the possible paths for development of corresponding markets and to establish the contacts in-between research communities, technology producers and other supporting businesses. This deliverable of ENVRIplus[1] project serves to overpass mentioned difficulties of environmental measurements in Europe. It is aimed to help SMEs, scientific communities and other interested partners to establish fruitful, beneficial collaborations and to understand the possible vectors of development of European environmental measurements and monitoring.
(FIGURE 1 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY)
1.3 Approach of this work: methodology The aim of ENVRIplus Deliverable 1.1 was to analyze and identify useful technologies (sensors and platform-related) for environmental observations and services with high potential of
FIGURE 1 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
turning into profitable businesses with the help of Research infrastructures (RIs). The task also aimed to explore the challenges and barriers (technical and market) and initial initiatives in
the area. The resulting Deliverable 1.1 shall act as a guideline for the SMEs, inspiring future development and production decisions, as well as for the EU and national decision makers and funding organizations, highlighting specific emerging areas.
