EU launches €1 billion investment to boost green and digital transition under Horizon 2020



The European Commission has launched a €1 billion call for research and innovation projects that respond to the climate crisis and help protect Europe’s unique ecosystems and biodiversity.

According to EU, 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.

The projects funded under this call are expected to deliver results with tangible benefits in ten areas: eight thematic areas reflecting the key work streams of the European Green Deal and 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.

According to a press release by the European Union, this Green Deal Call differs in important aspects from previous Horizon 2020 calls given the urgency of the challenges it addresses. It aims for clear, discernible results in the short to medium-term, but with a perspective of long-term change. There are fewer, but more targeted, larger and visible actions, with a focus on rapid scalability, dissemination and uptake.

The €1 billion investment will continue building Europe's knowledge systems and infrastructures. The call includes opportunities for international cooperation in addressing the needs of less-developed nations, particularly in Africa, in the context of the Paris Agreement as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The deadline for submissions is 26 January 2021, with selected projects expected to start in autumn 2021.

Photo courtesy/ Google

Article by Jedidah Mwangi

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_1669

 

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