Sustainable development

Sustainable development requires science that crosses disciplines and scales: from molecules and advanced materials to ecosystems, cities, and cultural heritage. The NHRF acts as an orchestrator of this transition, accelerating low-carbon innovations, circular bioeconomy solutions, resilient agri-food systems, and data-driven policies. The goal: development that is green, fair, and evidence-based.

In the “decarbonization–circular economy” axis, the EIE develops solutions that combine biocatalysts, materials, and processes. The CoCCUS project introduces cost-effective CO₂ capture with enhanced enzymatic solvents and the use of CO₂ streams in value-added products; CO₂ BioProducts uses microalgae for bioactive ingredients. These technologies meet the capabilities of TPCI in advanced materials and photonics, creating a bridge from the bench to the industrial environment.

In the agri-food and health sector, NANOSHIELD develops safe nanotechnology-based plant protection products, Fish_superfoods optimizes functional foods for fish farming, while OSTEOME and Health Span promote nutritional interventions for healthy aging. QFytoTera targets innovative insect repellents for vector-borne infections. Here, ICB’s capabilities in biotechnology, molecular analysis, and omic technologies are combined with material and sensor design from TPCI to ensure that solutions are effective, safe, and scalable.

Sustainability also has a cultural dimension. With CLIMASCAPE, the NHRF contributes to the protection of archaeological sites from the effects of climate change through a three-pronged approach of “prediction-detection-management,” bridging the historical knowledge of the NHRF with environmental sciences and digital tools. The protection of culture is an essential part of resilience and local sustainable tourism.

Finally, the “environment-health” axis is crucial. ENVESOME produces evidence and tools for citizens and authorities to reduce exposure and improve public health policies. As a connecting tissue, the “Helios” repository and the “Research-Create-Innovate” partnerships ensure open dissemination, collaboration with businesses, and rapid, mature exploitation of results.