You can watch the recording of the event on the Programme page.
Transforming Europe into a climate neutral economy by 2050 requires extraordinary efforts. Each sector must fundamentally rethink the way it operates to ensure that it can be transformed towards this new net-zero paradigm, without jeopardising other environmental and societal objectives, both within the EU and globally. Our ability to meet our climate neutrality target directly depends on our ability to innovate. However, the current level of innovation is insufficient to meet the net-zero challenge.
The aim of the report ‘Research and Innovation for Climate Neutrality by 2050: Challenges, Opportunities and the Path Forward’ is to provide policy recommendations regarding the design, principles and solution landscapes needed for a long-term, forward-looking R&I agenda to accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions.
Based on the reflection of this report and the need to further discuss how R&I can best contribute to the climate neutrality goal, DG Research and Innovation is organising this online event, that will be opened by Deputy Director-General Joanna Drake and with a panel discussion moderated by the Clean Planet Director Rosalinde van der Vlies.
The panel discussion, formed by four high-level speakers, will provide their expert views and strategic vision on the role, challenges, and opportunities of R&I as a driver of zero-carbon solutions for a climate-neutral economy by 2050:
European Commission representatives: - Director General of DG RTD Marc Lemaître - Director General of DG CLIMA Kurt Vandenberghe
High-level expert representing the innovators community: Vice President of Breakthrough Energy Europe Ann Mettler
High-level expert representing academia: Chair of the Scientific Council of the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development & President of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences Sylvia Schwaag Serger
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This final event builds on the he report ‘Research and Innovation for Climate Neutrality by 2050: Challenges, Opportunities and the Path Forward’. Through a methodological approach which combines literature review, climate neutrality scenarios analysis, foresight workshops and stakeholder engagement, the report focuses on broad high-risk (not yet close to market) R&I areas where significant investments are needed today to achieve maturity, commercialisation, and adoption in the coming 10-20 years.
The report advocates moving beyond the paradigm of individual technologies and embrace a systemic approach by focusing on goal-oriented R&I interventions, as well as considering how systemic interactions of climate mitigation approaches can be better integrated in the development of R&I programmes (thus considering socio-economic and technological challenges and opportunities, regulatory barriers/needs, enabling conditions and positive tipping points).
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News article: New report: Research and Innovation for Climate Neutrality by 2050: Challenges, opportunities and the path forward
