The European Green Deal, launched by the European Commission under President von der Leyen in 2019 to reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030, will transform Europe’s economy, energy, transport, and industrial sectors. Moreover, building on this trajectory, the new 2040 climate target aims for a 90% reduction compared to 1990 levels. Achieving this ambitious goal requires substantial investment in innovation, clean technology, and green infrastructure, while ensuring a just transition for the communities most affected by several of these structural changes.
Scientists, with their disciplinary expertise and emerging technologies, play a critical role in driving green innovation. Thus, their active participation in entrepreneurial ventures and the innovation process is also essential for the successful implementation of the Green Deal.
This Union Symposia will explore programmes, challenges, and opportunities for scientists to engage in the innovation process, and how a just transition can be ensured for communities most affected by structural changes in the economy and energy systems. We will particularly focus on where innovation and especially R&D, focusing on the best practices that have successfully supported green innovation. It will also examine political, economic, and social barriers of greenovation, and discuss strategies to ensure a just transiton for affected communities.