The European Commission has launched a €1bn call for research projects that respond to issues caused by the current climate crisis. The Commission is looking to fund projects that aim to safeguard Europe’s ecosystems and biodiversity.
Applications are now open for green research projects to apply for a share of the €1bn which is funded under Horizon 2020 and the European Green Deal. The Commission hopes the funding will spur Europe’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis by turning environmental challenges into innovation opportunities.
The projects funded under this call are expected to deliver results with tangible benefits in eight thematic areas:
- Increasing climate ambition
- Clean, affordable, and secure energy
- Industry for a clean and circular economy
- Energy and resource efficient buildings
- Sustainable and smart mobility
- Farm to fork
- Biodiversity and ecosystems
- Zero-pollution, toxic-free environments
The new call for green research projects will also apply to two horizontal areas: strengthening knowledge and empowering citizens, which offer a longer-term perspective in achieving the transformations set out in the European Green Deal. The goals of this funding call reflect the targets of the European Green Deal, which include:
- Investing in environmentally-friendly technologies
- Supporting industry innovation
- Rolling out cleaner, cheaper, and healthier forms of transport
- Decarbonising the energy sector
- Ensuring buildings are more energy efficient
- Working to improve global environmental standards
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “The €1 billion European Green Deal call is the last and biggest call under Horizon 2020. With innovation at its heart, this investment will accelerate a just and sustainable transition to a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. As we do not want anyone left behind in this systemic transformation, we call for specific actions to engage with citizens in novel ways and improve societal relevance and impact.”
The deadline for submissions is 26 January 2021, with selected projects expected to start in autumn 2021.
