Review and gap analysis of research ethics and integrity frameworks/guidelines addressing environmental and climate concerns in research and innovation

The European Green Deal (EGD) aims to achieve a just and inclusive green transition across Europe. This requires research and innovation (R&I) to align with principles of environmental sustainability and climate responsibility. To ensure that research processes and outcomes adhere to these principles, comprehensive research ethics and integrity (RE&RI) frameworks that explicitly address environmental and climate-related challenges are needed. Existing RE&RI guidelines, such as the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ECOC) and other institutional frameworks, provide foundational principles but may not fully encompass the complexities of environmental and climate ethics. To support the green transition, it is critical to review these frameworks, assess their adequacy, and identify gaps where further development or adaptation is needed. This study aims to systematically identify and assess current RE&RI frameworks and guidelines with a focus on their ability to address environmental and climate concerns in R&I. The findings will inform the development of enhanced or new guidelines as part of task 3.2 in the RE4GREEN project.