New report: Research and Innovation for Climate Neutrality by 2050: Challenges, opportunities and the path forward

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. 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). To that end, the report identifies key R&I areas under 17 solution landscapes grouped under three key nexuses for climate neutrality, to better integrate systemic interaction of climate mitigation approaches in the design of R&I agendas: 

• Mobility – Built environment – Energy nexus
• Circularity – Industry – Carbon removals and capture nexus
• Agrifood – Carbon removals nexus

In addition, the report:

• Highlights some of the opportunities, barriers, and risks of general-purpose technologies (such as AI, synthetic biology, blockchain) in accelerating the net-zero transition.
• Underlines the increasing importance and significant innovation efforts needed over the coming decade regarding carbon dioxide removal solutions.
• Advocates the need for the EU to prioritise actions with key third countries to create competitive advantage across the international value chains emerging from the green transition.

More information

Read the report: Research and Innovation for Climate Neutrality by 2050: Challenges, Opportunities and the Path Forward