Missions in Horizon Europe

The mission-oriented research and innovation policy adopted in Horizon Europe is a welcomed approach to address challenges faced by people in their daily lives. From a research and innovation perspective it is also an opportunity to reduce policy fragmentation, interdisciplinarity and cross-sectoral collaboration, and strengthen public engagement through the involvement of regional and local innovation ecosystems. As such, the missions bottom-up nature, flexibility, and the clear involvement of citizens going hand in hand with the excellence is a welcome addition to Horizon Europe.

From the first discussions and the Mazzucato report to the selection of the five mission areas and the publication of the interim reports in the summer of 2020, ERRIN has been actively involved in bringing in the regional and local perspective, and exploring what opportunities the missions could provide for regions and cities. Below you will find more information about our work on the different missions.

The Mission area: Climate-neutral and smart cities proposes to support 100 European cities in their systemic transformation towards climate-neutrality by 2030. The Mission aims to create a bottom-up approach towards achieving climate neutrality supported by a Climate City Contract, which requires the participation of the entire local ecosystem and support from all governance levels.

ERRIN is represented in the Mission Assembly, which aims to provide an additional pool of ideas, knowledge and expertise to the mission.

ERRIN has taken an active role in shaping the Mission on Climate Neutral and Smart Cities. Driven by the Smart Cities working group leaders, ERRIN is closely following the work of the Mission Board. Input has been provided in the form of a draft contribution (end 2019) and a more extensive input paper (April 2020), which provides recommendations in relation to the ambitions, financing, selection process and set up of the Mission, while also putting forward practical suggestions on implementation.

This mission area will support adjustment and solutions to climate change, but also address communities to lead the societal transformation. The vision is to turn the urgent challenge of adapting to climate change into an opportunity to make Europe more resilient, climate prepared and fair, through a three-layered approach. The three objectives are to prepare all citizens for climate disruptions, to build resilience, and to upscale solutions through 100 deep demonstrators, and accelerate the transition in 200 pilot regions and communities.

ERRIN has developed an input document which follows an exchange with Mission Board Chair held earlier this year.  

Cancer is one of Europe’s five major societal challenges and the projection is that, without strong action, the number of diagnosed cases will increase by a fourth by 2035. Across Europe, the possibility of receiving a timely cancer diagnosis and of surviving the disease differs a lot because of inequalities in access to knowledge, prevention, diagnostics, treatments, and care.

To address this, the goal of the mission has been formulated in the following way: “by 2030, more than 3 million lives saved, living longer and better”. In its interim report, the Mission Board proposed five intervention areas: i) understanding ii) prevention iii) diagnosis and treatment iv) quality of life v) equitable access.

In 2020, the Health WG organised a webinar to discuss the development of the mission on cancer with one of the Mission Board members and developed and released a joint statement with EUREGHA calling for the regional dimension of the Mission to be clearly defined and included in its design and implementation. In 2021, the Health WG continues to follow the Mission closely and is anticipating the publication of the implementation plan. 

(Image source: Conquering Cancer. Mission possible: Interim report of the Mission Board for Cancer)

Pollution and unsustainable use have severely damaged and degraded aquatic ecosystems, which are fundamental to life on this planet. Climate change and ocean acidification add additional pressure making the challenge to have healthy oceans and waters even more complex. The Mission Board proposes five targets in its interim report related to science and data, pollution, sustainable use, management of aquatic resources, decarbonisation and improving governance.

Throughout 2020 and 2021 the Blue Growth WG has been closely following the Starfish Mission and in June 2021 organised, together with the Mission Starfish secretariat, prepared an informal dialogue on the area-based lighthouses anticipated in the Mission, focussing on the lighthouses' activities, their scale and governance. A report of the dialogue is available to read here and includes ERRIN's key messages and outcomes relating to the scope, scale, governance and synergies of the lighthouses within the Missions. 

(Image source: Regenerating our Ocean and Waters by 2030 - Interim report of the Mission Board Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters)

Soil degradation is driven by unsustainable human activities related to management practices in forestry and agriculture, pollution from industries and urbanisation, as well as processes in the food chain and food waste. As the Mission Board points out in its interim report, soil is a fragile resource that takes a long time to renew which makes the challenge of restoring and promoting soil health a priority.

To maximise the impact of the mission, research activities will be adapted to local and regional conditions. Knowledge will be co-created in living labs that will address specific needs for soil health. These living lands will form regional clusters with the objective to spur co-innovation at both landscape and watershed levels.

In February 2021, ERRIN's Bioeconomy Working Group organised an info session on the Mission, during which members took a particular interest in the development of the lighthouse demonstrators. The WG continues to follow the Mission and is anticipating the publication of the implementation plan at EU R&I Days 2021.