European Water Research and Innovation

The increase in European water-related scientific performance has been spectacular since the 1990s. While 3.3 k publications were produced in Europe in the period 1991-95, 19.1 k publications were authored by European scientists in the five-year period of 2006-10.

This last period has consolidated European world leadership, but has also marked a notable increase in Chinese scientific production. Similar results can be reported for innovation. In the last 15 years, European water innovation has consolidated its position as world leader. In this period, the number of patents with European authorship increased from 152 to 421, although the world share of these patents decreased from 48 to 35%. Europe is followed in this ranking by the USA and Japan. The push from emerging countries is clear in the innovation domain, with the category “Other Countries” increasing from 6 to 30%. Europe is currently leading water research and innovation in the world. The Water JPI will contribute to expand and sustain this leadership, optimizing its cost/benefit ratio.