EU at COP29: How research and innovation boosts climate action

We will be at the 29th UN climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024.  

As a global leader in climate action, the EU will be present in the negotiations, while EU scientific services will organise several side events focusing on how research and innovation can help us fight climate change. 

EU science at COP29  

Register to attend the online seminar, hosted by the EU’s Pavillion at COP29, on the “Ocean Carbon Cycle”. Two EU-funded projects will present their research on this topic - showcasing how science is vital for finding solutions to the climate crisis.  

The event is taking place on 11 November, from 10:00 to 11:30 (CET). 

How EU research and innovation support climate action  

To reach climate neutrality, we need to decarbonise at least six times faster than we are doing now. We must drastically increase the share of renewable energy sources and clean energy carriers, and improve energy efficiency.  

In the past 40 years, EU funding has been crucial in positioning Europe at the forefront of key technologies. Our current research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, allocates 35% of its budget to climate action, aiming to tackle global challenges and modernise industry. Through Horizon Europe, the EU invests over EUR 7 billion in clean energy research and innovation.  

Helping regions on the climate crisis frontline 

While all countries must face the consequences of the climate crisis, certain regions are more at risk. This is linked to their geography, as well as their ability to structurally respond to the crisis’ effects. 

The EU is funding innovative research projects, through Horizon Europe, to provide succour to the regions on the frontline of the climate crisis. This includes projects protecting the Atlantic Ocean, supporting sustainable development, and empowering citizen engagement in climate science. 

Tackling security challenges for a clean energy transition 

The European Commission recently published two reports that both shine a light on the critical role research and innovation play in achieving the EU's ambitious climate goals. The first study drives home the importance of energy security in Europe's transition to a clean energy future. By tackling the security challenges of clean energy technologies, the EU can create a functioning clean energy system, slash carbon emissions, and ditch fossil fuels for good! Wouldn’t that be great? 

Shaping the future of energy and mobility 

Independent experts underline in a second report the crucial role that research and innovation play in driving environmentally, socially and economically sustainable progress.  

According to the experts, future energy and transport systems must be low-emission, cost-competitive, energy- and resource-efficient, integrated and flexible. The energy and transport systems of the future should work so closely together that they are essentially only one system. This is what the experts call an ‘integrated system’.  

They also stress the importance of boosting European manufacturing, diversifying international supply chains to achieve ‘open strategic autonomy’, and ramping up domestic production of low-carbon technologies. Last but not least, future systems must also offer benefits to society, such as cleaner air or better affordability. 

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova will reaffirm the EU's commitment to the European Green Deal and decarbonisation at the ‘Future of Net Zero Competitiveness’ event on 12 November. She will also highlight the crucial role of research and innovation in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, showcasing the EU's leadership in this field. 

More information: EU to support continued global climate action