19 > West Region, Romania HUBS Sustainable development is not just a research direction or institutional discourse, but an assumed, scalable and replicable practice. The Romania Hub brings together companies, utilities, NGOs, and research bodies to link soil remediation with circular bioeconomy practices. Main Challenges The region struggles with economic decline and depopulation following industrial closures. Pollution and contaminated soils create severe health risks and undermine agricultural productivity. Communities face limited access to information and skills, further restricting engagement in sustainable alternatives. Marginalised groups involved Business model developed The Hub promotes composting and biogas technologies as foundations of the circular bio-based economy. These models simultaneously reduce pollution, improve soil health, and create sustainable energy solutions, while training young people in sustainability-oriented practices. By building organisational cultures rooted in circularity, the Hub generates replicable approaches for both public and private stakeholders. What’s Next? The Hub aims to connect circular bioeconomy with soil remediation to revitalise local economies, reduce unemployment, and stem depopulation. • Young educated people in polluted, post-industrial areas (Caraș-Severin and Hunedoara) website
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4NzI=