  Innovation is a key component to equip our society with tools to adapt to new
climatic conditions. The development of research-action interfaces shifts
useful ideas into operationalized knowledge allowing innovation to flourish. In
this paper we quantify the existing gap between climate research and innovation
action in Europe using a novel framework that combines artificial intelligence
(AI) methods and network science. We compute the distance between key topics of
research interest from peer review publications and core issues tackled by
innovation projects funded by the most recent European framework programmes.
Our findings reveal significant differences exist between and within the two
layers. Economic incentives, agricultural and industrial processes are
differently connected to adaptation and mitigation priorities. We also find a
loose research-action connection in bioproducts, biotechnologies and risk
assessment practices, where applications are still too few compared to the
research insights. Our analysis supports policy-makers to measure and track how
research funding result in innovation action, and to adjust decisions if stated
priorities are not achieved.
