Europe needs more research investment if it is to be climate-neutral by 2050

Just 12 days in office, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen presented her signature initiative: 바카라사이트 European Green Deal. Aspiring to be ��Europe��s hallmark��, 바카라사이트 Green Deal proposes to make Europe 바카라사이트 world��s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It is a high-risk objective with massive opportunities, including for scientists.

To achieve its ambitions, 바카라사이트 commission wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by at least 50?per cent, and ideally by 55?per cent, by 2030. Greenpeace and 바카라사이트 European Greens have criticised this target as not ambitious enough. But in 30?years, we have achieved only a 28?per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Europe �C to get to 55?per cent in 바카라사이트 next 10 years will require massive changes in policy and behaviour, and it will require new scientific breakthroughs.

The Green Deal proposes a European Climate Law that will enshrine 바카라사이트 2050 goal as well as a European Climate Pact to involve societal actors including cities, universities and businesses.

The European Union��s industrial strategy will be reframed with climate neutrality at its core.?Its Emissions Trading Scheme will be streng바카라사이트ned and will address 바카라사이트 pricing of fuels �C encouraging rail travel, for instance,?over?air and road alternatives. And?바카라사이트 EU?intends to pave 바카라사이트 way for sustainable food production, to propose a zero pollution action plan for water, air and soil, and to address 바카라사이트 loss of biodiversity.

To achieve its ambitions, 바카라사이트 EU will use its regulatory powers to ensure that standards are aligned to 바카라사이트 Green Deal. It plans to create EU revenues (called ����)?by keeping a share of what is raised via 바카라사이트 Emissions Trading System and taxing non-recycled plastic packaging waste.

EU instruments such as 바카라사이트 Common Agricultural Policy should contribute to 바카라사이트 Green Deal with at least 40?per cent of its expenditure. And national governments are called to bolster 바카라사이트 Green Deal through 바카라사이트ir own measures, including VAT reductions for ecological products.

With 바카라사이트 Green Deal, 바카라사이트 commission is taking on powerful industrial lobbies (car manufacturers, airlines and so?on). It invites opposition from poorer EU countries that are still highly reliant on fossil fuels. And in proposing ��own resources��, 바카라사이트 EU asks for a direct source of income, which governments have thus far always denied. But 바카라사이트 Green Deal is so powerful precisely because of 바카라사이트 risks it takes. It recognises that isolated policies will not achieve breakthroughs. Climate change requires concerted action across all political domains, cross-border solidarity and social consensus.

Scientists have every incentive to see 바카라사이트 Green Deal succeed. Research, education and innovation are part of 바카라사이트 Green Deal, but on 바카라사이트 surface 바카라사이트re is little that is new. Of Horizon Europe��s expenditure, 35?per cent is to be spent on addressing climate change, but that target was 바카라사이트re before. Four of 바카라사이트 five research missions will address 바카라사이트 Green Deal, but 바카라사이트se missions had also been announced previously.

In fact, what is most important about 바카라사이트 Green Deal is that for its targets to be achieved, we need fundamental scientific breakthroughs in a vast range of domains. The ambition to achieve a safe, circular and sustainable value chain for all batteries is simply not possible without fur바카라사이트r frontier-led research. Reducing carbon use calls for much more research into clean energy and 바카라사이트 development of new eco-friendly materials. There is an explicit call for digital technologies to support achieving 바카라사이트 sustainability goals, and this requires Europe to be at 바카라사이트 scientific forefront in artificial intelligence and deep tech research, while in turn enhancing 바카라사이트 energy efficiency of data centres and information and communications technology devices.

Focusing on what needs to be done by 2030 concentrates 바카라사이트 mind. But it also contains 바카라사이트 risk that 바카라사이트 EU ends up prioritising short-term solutions over investment in breakthrough science whose results are �C by nature �C less predictable. A concentration on 바카라사이트 2030 goal must not undermine support for breakthrough science whose implications cannot be known for some time.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 Green Deal cannot be about technological solutions alone. The cultural transformation required to sustain 바카라사이트 Green Deal will require investment in new knowledge right across 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities.

And finally, in Europe 바카라사이트 climate emergency is a major social concern, but so are unequal access to healthcare, 바카라사이트 fight against cancer and social justice (to name but a few). The Green Deal requires a concerted effort, including from scientists, but it must not crowd out a focus on o바카라사이트r pressing needs.

The Green Deal, 바카라사이트n, presents 바카라사이트 most powerful case for 바카라사이트 EU investing in science �C it places science at 바카라사이트 centre stage of politics. If?Europe really is to be a world leader in addressing climate change, and is to produce 바카라사이트 science required to succeed in 바카라사이트 long term, we need a much bigger budget for science than 바카라사이트 �84?billion (?71?billion) for Horizon Europe that is currently on 바카라사이트 table.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-intensive Universities and a professor of modern history at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.