How are the European Framework Programmes for Research, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, responding to climate change transition challenges?

This study evaluates the European European Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation from the perspective of the Green Transition.

This includes Horizon 2020 and the new Horizon Europe, as well as certain partnerships with Member States that have partly carried out the implementation of the Framework Programme (FP). Among the latter are the following types of partnerships:

• PPP (public-private partnerships), incl. contractual PPPs and Article 187 initiatives;
• P2P (public-public partnerships), incl. ERANet Co-funds, European Joint Programming (EJP) Co-funds, Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs), and Article 185 initiatives; and
• KICs (Knowledge and Innovation Communities) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

The study is divided into two consecutive phases, one for each of the two FP instances. Phase I focuses on Horizon 2020, especially on the following programme parts that are also related to relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

• SC2: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy
• SC3: Secure, clean and efficient energy
• SC4: Smart, green and integrated transport
• SC5: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials

In the wider context of Europe's Green New Deal, the purpose of this study is to provide the Commission with the specific data and analyses needed to support the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe in the impact area ‘Green Transition’.
It feeds into the back-to-back-approach set for the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe and will thus inform the implementation of Horizon Europe in the future multi-annual financial framework (2021-2027). The outcome of this study will also feed into the horizontal study on the new approach for European Partnerships.

The overall aim of this study is to identify lessons learned from the implementation of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe while also assessing longer term effects of FP activities towards the Green Transition and providing evidence-based suggestions for the improvement of the Framework Programmes in light of the experiences made. While the study has the legal obligation to conduct two different evaluations, one with an ex-post character and the other one with an interim character, the key thematic focus of this evaluation is on the green transition aspects and the long-term impact of the Framework Programme(s).

During Phase I, the ZSI is particularly involved in the following project components:

• Elaboration of the international benchmarking in terms of assessment criteria and methodology
• Conduction of two international benchmark studies: ACRP (Austrian Climate Research Programme) and FONA (Germany)
• Realisation of three case studies in the following broader thematic areas: Climate, Energy, and Transport & Mobility
• Evaluation of the EIT KIC on Urban Mobility

Mitarbeiter/innen:

• DI Dietmar Lampert (Projektleitung)
• Mag. Dr. Klaus Schuch (Projektleitung)
• Utku B. Demir, BA
• Wolfgang Haider, MA BA
• Dr. Martina Lang, MA
• Mag. Manfred Spiesberger
• MMag. Johannes Waldmueller, Dr.

Bereich: Forschungspolitik & Entwicklung

Förderer & Auftraggeber:

• European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

• Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
• Technopolis Group
• Austrian Institute of Technology (Coordinator)

Tags: benchmarking, case study, climate change, Desk Research, evaluation, framework, green transition, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Interviews, research cooperation, research policy