New Delhi (NVI): With an aim to strengthen the research and innovation collaboration between India and Europe, the EU and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), have identified five green-tech areas and agreed to join forces under the Horizon 2020 Green Deal Work Programme.
“This is a follow-up to the priorities identified at the EU-India Summit held on 15 July 2020 to boost cooperation in transforming our economies into carbon-neutral economies,” the EU said in a press release.
The joint cooperation would also further strengthen India’s research capacity, and will contribute to its national missions on Sustainable Habitat, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and the EU-India Partnership on Climate Change and Energy, as per the statement.
The five calls are part of the last and largest call launched by the European Union under its research and innovation programme ‘Horizon 2020’, the European Green Deal Call – with a €1 billion budget.
While a number of calls will respond to the climate crisis and protecting unique ecosystems and biodiversity, it also aims to spur recovery from the coronavirus crisis by turning green challenges into innovation opportunities. The programme has a strong international dimension, the EU statement said.
Under the partnership, DBT will co-fund projects in following areas:
Clean, affordable and secure energy: Innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system.
Industry for a clean and circular economy: Closing the industrial carbon cycle to combat climate change – Industrial feasibility of catalytic routes for sustainable alternatives to fossil resources;
Farm to Fork: Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy.
Biodiversity and ecosystem services: Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Zero-pollution, toxic free environment: Innovative, systemic zero-pollution solutions to protect health, environment and natural resources from persistent and mobile chemicals.
The deadline for submissions is 26 January 2021, with selected projects expected to start in autumn 2021.
Welcoming the cooperation opportunity on research and innovation between the EU and India, Ambassador of the European Union to India, Ugo Astuto said, “Joining forces on research will further strengthen our partnership and help address many of the global challenges that the EU and India are facing. We see immense potential in bringing together our scientific communities to foster a dynamic innovation ecosystem.”
“These research projects will work towards a green, resilient and sustainable tomorrow. This EU-India collaboration also highlights our strong commitment to support the Paris Agreement as well as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” he added.
At the 15th EU India summit held on 15th July this year, the two sides had also committed to undertake resolute and coordinated action to tackle the generational challenge of climate change and environmental degradation, while widening the scale and impact of its research cooperation on the basis of co-investment and co-funding.
Both sides had agreed to strengthen R&I collaboration in the areas of mutual interest including climate change & energy, resources efficiency & circular economy.
-ARK
