CASI project

A Hundred and Fifty Shades of Green: A Foresight-Driven Playbook for Sustainable Innovation Governance

Year of publication:	2026
Authors:	Rafael Popper, Monika Popper, Guillermo Velasco, Mattia Martini, Angela Rizzo
Categories:	Strategic intelligence and citizens’ participation, Solutions to explore, extract, process and recycle, Solutions for water imbalances, Solutions for cultural heritage assets, Resource efficient sustainable lifestyles, Raw materials conscious sustainable lifestyle, Long-term raw materials availability, ICT to assess and predict climate actions, ICT systems to map raw materials trends, ICT systems improving resource efficiency, ICT mapping natural resources and trends, Effective raw materials policies, Eco-solutions to reduce raw materials use, Eco-innovation and green economy transition, Climate change projections and scenarios, Climate change mitigation solutions, Climate change adaptation solutions, Climate action eco-innovation policies, Climate action by sustainable lifestyle, Biodiversity examination and understanding, Awareness on raw materials shortage, Alternative raw materials

This paper introduces the Hundred and Fifty Shades of Green Playbook – an evidence-based, foresight-driven instrument for assessing and managing Sustainable Innovation (SI). Building on the CASI Project (2014–2017) and its successor applications in the BOLERO Project (2022–2025), with further implementation in the CASI-BIO project (2026–2030), the Playbook proposes a sequenced, action-oriented approach for multi-actor collaboration. It integrates stakeholder engagement, critical-issues analysis, and foresight-based planning into ten interlinked governance aspects encompassing 150 meta-tasks that guide sustainability-oriented decision-making across government, business, academia, and civil society. The BOLERO experience, particularly the MOBBI service innovation in Lombardy, exemplifies the framework’s transferability from EU-level to regional implementation, demonstrating its adaptability to diverse institutional and socio-economic contexts. Reflecting a decade of progress in the governance and management of sustainable innovation, the Playbook’s Action Roadmap and Strategic Framework link strategic foresight with participatory governance and sustainability assessment. Together, they offer a replicable model for building resilient, impact-driven innovation ecosystems that directly support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Future research will deepen longitudinal evaluation and continuous learning to ensure that sustainable innovation practices continue to evolve and shape the future. View Article

Tags:	sustainable innovation, sustainability assessment, innovation management, Foresight, action roadmapping, ecosystem resilience
Date:	01.03.2026

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Integrating policy agendas for sustainable innovation: a quadruple helix approach to the European Green Deal and sustainability transitions

Year of publication:	2025
Authors:	Monika Popper, Rafael Popper, Carina Alejandra Rapetti, Josep Miquel Pique
Categories:	Strategic intelligence and citizens’ participation, Resource efficient sustainable lifestyles, Eco-solutions to reduce raw materials use, Eco-innovation and green economy transition, Climate change projections and scenarios, Climate change mitigation solutions, Climate change adaptation solutions, Climate action eco-innovation policies, Climate action by sustainable lifestyle

This paper explores the integration of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) and crowdsourcing-driven innovation management with top-down policy frameworks to advance the European Green Deal and sustainability transitions. Drawing on the CASI (Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable Innovation) project, it examines how CASI-F and its CASIPEDIA platform — a repository of over 700 sustainable innovation initiatives — can bridge local and global sustainability goals. Using a quadruple helix approach, the study highlights the role of innovation ecosystems in driving systemic change through the alignment of technological, economic, social, and environmental objectives. The paper compares the CASI SI agendas with the European Green Deal and sustainability transition agendas, identifying synergies, gaps, and opportunities for further alignment. Foresight is emphasised as a crucial tool to ensure innovation strategies remain adaptable, future-oriented, and resilient to emerging challenges. The findings underscore the importance of integrating grassroots innovations into broader policy frameworks to enhance sustainability transitions. Lastly, the paper recommends strengthening the Green Deal by fostering innovations from diverse actors, including those from the quadruple helix, and promoting the application of SMART foresight processes. View Article

Tags:	sustainability transitions , innovation ecosystems , European Green Deal , crowdsourcing-driven innovation , quadruple helix , sustainable innovation agendas , foresight methodology , climate-neutral future
Date:	15.05.2025

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Governance and Management of Sustainable Innovation

Year of publication:	2020
Authors:	Mattia Martini, Rick Hölsgens, Rafael Popper
Categories:	Strategic intelligence and citizens’ participation, Solutions to explore, extract, process and recycle, Solutions for water imbalances, Solutions for cultural heritage assets, Resource efficient sustainable lifestyles, Raw materials conscious sustainable lifestyle, Long-term raw materials availability, ICT to assess and predict climate actions, ICT systems to map raw materials trends, ICT systems improving resource efficiency, ICT mapping natural resources and trends, Effective raw materials policies, Eco-solutions to reduce raw materials use, Eco-innovation and green economy transition, Climate change projections and scenarios, Climate change mitigation solutions, Climate change adaptation solutions, Climate action eco-innovation policies, Climate action by sustainable lifestyle, Biodiversity examination and understanding, Awareness on raw materials shortage, Alternative raw materials

Sustainable innovation (SI) is considered to be a key driver of societal progress in an era of enormous economic, environmental and societal challenges, and the uncertainties and future consequences that come with them. This book provides evidence, insights and reflections related to specific issues of governance, the management of sustainable innovation and applying a multi-level, multi-stakeholder approach to sustainable innovation analysis. Building on the European Commission (EU) funded research project “Public Participation in Developing a Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable innovation” (CASI), it presents tools for assessing and managing sustainable innovation, and reflects on SI-related policies as well as citizens’ aspirations. The book is intended for scholars in the field of sustainable innovation, as well as to policymakers, innovators, students and citizens. View Book

Tags:	Participatory governance, Social innovation, Stakeholder engagement, Sustainability, Sustainable innovation, European Union politics, Foresight, Innovation policy
Date:	01.08.2020

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Towards a more responsible sustainable innovation assessment and management culture in Europe

Year of publication:	2017
Authors:	Rafael Popper, Monika Popper, Guillermo Velasco
Categories:	Strategic intelligence and citizens’ participation, Resource efficient sustainable lifestyles, Eco-solutions to reduce raw materials use, Eco-innovation and green economy transition, Climate change projections and scenarios, Climate change mitigation solutions, Climate change adaptation solutions, Climate action eco-innovation policies, Climate action by sustainable lifestyle

This article presents new concepts and practical approaches resulting from the piloting of CASI-F - a common framework for the assessment and management of sustainable innovation (SI). Based on lessons learned from action research carried out in the context of the EU funded CASI project, the article focuses on the meta-analysis of 46 action roadmaps produced with 43 innovators supporting the practical application of CASI-F. The applied methodology helped to demonstrate that a multi-level and multi-actor advice approach promotes a shift towards improved understanding of innovations-related critical issues (barriers, drivers, opportunities and threats) and stakeholders’ relations, as well as their management, thus promoting the sustainable resilience and transformation of socio-technical systems. This paper first reflects on how we arrived to managerial lessons from the actions roadmaps and how could these lessons be used to assess the current state of affairs and potential way forward for European initiatives and instruments promoting sustainable innovation. View Article

Tags:	sustainable innovation , management , resilience , action roadmaps
Date:	01.12.2017

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CASI Online Training Course

Sustainable Innovation Assessment and Management: Widening Horizons on climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials.

Free online course on sustainable innovation assessment and management concepts, practices, key lessons and policy messages. Get inspired!

23.03.2026 - by Rafael Popper

Public Participation in Developing a Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable Innovation

CASI Online Training Course

Sustainable Innovation Assessment and Management: Widening Horizons on climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials.

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