The Chiostro del Carmine in Oristano, part of the UNO Consortium, hosted the event “Innovation and Sustainability for the Future of Sardinia” on Monday, June 30, organized by Spoke 9 of the e.INS project to present to the local community the research and innovation activities with potential direct impacts on the Oristano area.
The event saw a large turnout, including university students, mayors of provincial municipalities, municipal councilors, trade associations, technical experts, CNR representatives, and officials from the region’s leading companies, who engaged in discussions on environmental protection and sustainable development.
Opening remarks were delivered by Alessandra Carucci, Scientific Coordinator of Spoke 9, and Fabrizio Pilo, Vice Rector for Territory and Innovation at the University of Cagliari and Scientific Coordinator of Spoke 7, with moderation by Giovanni Sistu of the University of Cagliari.
The Work Package leads presented the progress achieved so far and future prospects:
- Antonio Pusceddu (UniCA) presented WP1 activities, focused on the protection and enhancement of wetlands, ecosystems of particular significance for the Oristano area.
- Aldo Muntoni (UniCA) outlined WP3 initiatives, aimed at implementing the circular economy in the regional agro-industrial sector, benefitting local production chains.
- Stefania Da Pelo (UniCA) described WP4 research, dedicated to protecting coastal areas and groundwater reserves—strategic issues for a coastal territory like Oristano.
- Emmanuele Farris (UniSS) discussed WP5 efforts, focused on optimizing green infrastructures in urban and agro-silvo-pastoral systems to combine sustainability with quality of life.
During the debate, local administrators, technicians, and representatives of trade associations engaged with researchers, asking questions and offering suggestions to ensure an even more direct impact of the project’s activities on the territory and to lay the groundwork for future collaborations.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that the environmental and economic challenges of the Oristano area can be addressed through an increasingly close dialogue among research, businesses, and institutions. Through its initiatives, Spoke 9 reaffirms its role as a strategic player in Sardinia’s ecological transition and sustainable innovation.
Funded under the PNRR – Next Generation EU, the e.INS project thus continues to build a bridge between science and community, putting the territory, society, and its needs at the center.
