AE4RIA – the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aephoria – participated in the 64th ERSA Conference, held in Athens from 26–29 August 2025.
This year’s congress, themed “Regional Science in Turbulent Times: In Search of a Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Future”, brought together leading researchers and policymakers from across the globe.
On behalf of the AE4RIA team, Dr. Anni Triantafyllidou presented the paper:
“Green Transition and Smart Specialization: Leveraging Attica’s Technological Capabilities for Climate Change Adaptation”, co-authored by Professor Dr. Phoebe Koundouri, Dr. Konstantinos Dellis, Dr. Anni Triantafyllidou, and Maria Chourdaki.
Our contribution builds on the JRC Partnerships for Regional Innovation initiative, applying the Systems Innovation Approach (SIA) to strengthen climate-proofing of innovation activities in EU regions, with a specific focus on Attica, Greece.
Key highlights of our work include:
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Streamlining Attica’s Regional Climate Adaptation Plan (RCAP) and aligning it with existing technologies, innovations, and organizations.
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Emphasizing the role of the EU Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) in steering innovative activities towards climate resilience.
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Conducting an empirical analysis of patent data at the NUTS 2 level to map Attica’s technological strengths and comparative advantages, focusing on adaptation-related technologies.
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Demonstrating how adaptation technologies are increasingly integrated across diverse economic sectors and scientific domains.
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Identifying gaps in Attica’s patenting activity in adaptation technologies, despite strong specialization in related fields.
Our preliminary findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen regional and national innovation systems, foster active collaborations, and better leverage existing technological capacity to enhance environmental and socioeconomic resilience.
Participation in ERSA 2025 offered an excellent opportunity to exchange insights, engage with global experts, and advance the dialogue on sustainable regional innovation.
