The European Commission says the EU’s five “Missions” under its Horizon Europe research programme are making progress towards their 2030 goals, with the Climate Adaptation Mission already exceeding its target.
The Missions are large-scale EU initiatives launched in 2021 that fund research and innovation intended to be tested and used in real-life settings across Europe, the Commission said in a statement on Monday.
The Climate Adaptation Mission set out to support at least 150 European regions, local authorities and communities to become more resilient to climate change, and 292 regional and local authorities have already implemented climate adaptation measures.
The Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission aims to support at least 100 cities to achieve climate neutrality, and 107 cities have signed Climate City Contracts.
Those plans are projected to cut emissions by 76% by 2030 and are backed by more than €13 billion in supported or developing investment.
Cancer, oceans, and soils
The Cancer Mission aims to improve the lives of more than 3 million people through prevention, early detection, treatment and care, including support for families, the Commission said.
Current actions indicate it will improve the lives of 2.3 million people by 2030, with upcoming projects expected to raise the figure beyond 3 million.
Under the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission, 121 solutions have been tested at 349 demonstration sites, with 86 regions involved in efforts to replicate the work.
The “European Digital Twin Ocean” — a digital model intended to help monitor and manage ocean conditions — has had its core infrastructure designed and is now accessible, and is expected to be fully operational by 2030.
The Soil Deal for Europe Mission is working towards 100 “Living Labs” — real-world sites such as farms used to test and develop approaches — and 45 have been established so far, involving more than 500 sites across Europe. A further 60 to 70 sites are expected to become operational by 2028.
“EU Missions bring policy, people and places together,” Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva said.
