CHARACTERIZATION, COMPATIBILIZATION, PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES OF RECYCLED POLYOLEFINS (REPOL) is a European Industrial Doctorate established by a consortium of leading European scientists in the academic and private industrial sector of polymer science and engineering. The University of the Basque Country (SP) and the University of Genova (IT) are the academic beneficiaries while Borealis is the industrial beneficiary (AT). They will collaborate in research-related and transferable training activities, through the execution of individual projects of three early stage researchers (ESRs) with a highly synergic, intersectoral and multidisciplinary approach in the field of polyolefins recycling. Currently, effective and innovative upgrade polyolefins recycling technologies are urgently needed to address global environmental concerns. European industries require skilled researchers to exploit academic knowledge on polymer chemistry, physics, and engineering, and switch innovation and investment from an economic system to an ecological one, driven by circular economy. In this sense, the REPOL project will address these challenges through a combination of fundamental and applied research training programme to enhance the scientific excellence and competitiveness of polymer recycling in Europe. The project aims to develop characterization tools for recycled polyolefins, find novel compatibilization routes, design upgraded recycled postconsumer based blends and nanocomposite blends, and study the scalability of the developed recycled materials. REPOL will become a reference at the International Level, improve R&D capacity between participating organisations and boost synergies and better knowledge transfer between sectors in the area of polymer recycling, by promoting the mobility of ESRs and sustainable training cooperation.

The ONEPlanET project aims to develop a common nexus modelling framework to simulate and evaluate pathways to define a more sustainable future in Africa through the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure. In this way, it will be possible to stimulate a green energy transition in the continent as well as a decarbonization of existing energy plants. The ONEPlanET model will be tailored to the needs of different stakeholders and end-users (public and private actors, policy and decision-makers, experts, and citizens) and will be totally open source to stimulate its future upgrades. The model will include information on Water, Energy, Food (WEF) and interlinkages with other sectors as Economy, Ecosystems, Society, Climate and Land for delivering a multi-sectoral assessment consistent with socio-economic and climate scenarios. The ONEPlanET modelling approach will integrate Earth Observation data (e.g., Copernicus, ESA or GEOSS), statistical data and information from basins to national and regional, via three representative case studies in the Songwe (Malawi/Tanzania), Inkomati-Usuthu (South Africa) and Niger (Nigeria) river basins, which show different types of basins and socio-ecological systems. ONEPlanET will help to better understand the interactions between Nexus sectors to deliver sound technical and policy recommendations towards the implementation of energy infrastructure to build a more climate neutral and resilient society.