How European research and innovation will shape the future is being defined today. The report “A Climate Resilient Europe” has been handed over to the European Commission, explaining how Europe can get prepared for the climate change challenge and reinforce its resilience capacity. Among the authors Jaroslav Mysiak, scientist at the CMCC Foundation.

European research and innovation Missions are an integral part of Horizon Europe, the next EU Research & Innovation investment programme (2021-2027). Each of the five identified missions, coordinated by a board of high-level independent experts (Mission Board) who provide advice on their contents and design, is a mandate to solve, within a certain timeframe and budget, one of the most pressing societal challenges: adapting to climate change, fighting cancer, living in greener cities, ensuring healthy soils and food, protecting our oceans.

On September 22, during the European Research and Innovation Days – which this year is a fully virtual event taking place from September 22 to 24), the final recommendations of the Mission Boards were handed over to the European Commission.

In this context, the Mission Board for Adaptation to Climate Change including Societal Transformation presented the report “A Climate Resilient Europe. Prepare Europe for climate disruptions and accelerate the transformation to a climate resilient and just Europe by 2030”. Jaroslav Mysiak, Director of the Risk Assessment and Adaptation Strategies Division (RAAS) at the CMCC Foundation, is among the authors of the report and member of the Mission Board for Adaptation to Climate Change, which is chaired by Connie Hedegaard, Former European Commissioner for Climate Action.

The report, considering important feedback received input from citizens and stakeholders, describes how the proposed mission, “A climate resilient Europe”, can get Europe prepared to unavoidable climate impacts and to accelerate the transformation to a climate resilient and just Europe. Indeed, the vision of this Mission is to turn the urgent challenge of adapting to climate change into an opportunity to make Europe resilient, climate-prepared and fair. As described in the report, by 2030, the Mission will:

1. Prepare Europe to deal with climate disruptions, and assist all citizens, communities and regions in better understanding, preparing for and managing climate risks;
2. Accelerate the transformation to a climate-resilient future, supporting 200 European communities and regions in co-creating a vision, innovation pathways, and developing solutions for transformative adaptation within safe planetary boundaries;
3. Build deep resilience by scaling up actionable solutions triggering societal transformations through 100 deep demonstrations of resilience across a number of European communities and regions, with emphasis on cross-border cooperation and cohesion.

The Commission will announce its selected missions at the end of 2020.

For more information

• The report – A Climate Resilient Europe. Prepare Europe for climate disruptions and accelerate the transformation to a climate resilient and just Europe by 2030. Final report of the Mission Board for Adaptation to Climate Change, including Societal Transformation. September 2020. Authors – Mission Board members: Connie Hedegaard (Chair), Jaroslav Mysiak (Rapporteur), Asuncion Lera St. Clair (Citizen Engagement), Mark Scicluna Bartoli (Liaison to Member States), Mathieu Cornieti, Helena Freitas, Mirela Holy, Daniela Jacob, Virginia Murray, Kevin O Connor, Hein Pieper, Johan Rockström, Ann Runnel, Per Espen Stoknes, Jean-Pascal Van Ypersele.
• The EC Press release (22 September 2020) – Top experts hand over their proposals for EU missions to the Commission for a greener, healthier and more resilient Europe