Advancing Marine Sustainability Capacity in the Black Sea—Insights from Open Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI)

Elena Bisinicu, Luminita Lazar (), Mihaela Mirea Candea and Elena Garcia Serra
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Elena Bisinicu: Ecology and Marine Biology Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanta, Romania
Luminita Lazar: Chemical Oceanography and Marine Pollution Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanta, Romania
Mihaela Mirea Candea: LOMARTOV S.L, Carrer de Alfareria, 3, 4610 Burjassot, València, Spain
Elena Garcia Serra: LOMARTOV S.L, Carrer de Alfareria, 3, 4610 Burjassot, València, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-21

Abstract: Open Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI) promotes ethical, inclusive, and transparent research aligned with sustainability goals and societal values. This systematic review examines the implementation of ORRI principles in marine research across the Black Sea region—a geopolitically fragmented and under-resourced context—and explores their implications for the broader Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) discourse. Using PRISMA methodology and bibliometric mapping, we analyzed the peer-reviewed literature and project deliverables from 2014 to 2024, focusing on six ORRI pillars: public engagement, science education, open access, gender equality, ethics, and governance. The findings indicate consistent progress in public engagement and science education, particularly through citizen science and stakeholder training. However, ethics, gender equity, and governance remain weakly institutionalized, with most ORRI practices driven by short-term, externally funded projects. To contextualize these results, we introduce a comparative framework contrasting the Black Sea’s scaffolded model of ORRI with structurally embedded models in Northern and Western Europe. This framework highlights disparities in capacity, funding, and institutional maturity that shape regional implementation. Conceptually, the study contributes to RRI theory by proposing a flexible, context-sensitive model for under-resourced regions. It supports SDGs 4, 5, 14, 16, and 17 and emphasizes the need for durable, inclusive approaches to responsible research and sustainability education.

Keywords: Black Sea; marine research; ORRI; public engagement; governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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