This destination and its topics target climate-neutrality, zero pollution^[1], fair and just circular and bioeconomy transitions^[2]. These cover safe, integrated circular solutions at territorial and sectoral levels, for important material flows and product value chains, such as i) textiles, ii) electronics, iii) chemicals, iv) packaging, v) tourism, vi) plastics and construction, and vii) key bioeconomy sectors such as a) sustainable bio-based systems^[3], b) sustainable forestry, c) small-scale rural bio-based solutions, d) environmental services and e) aquatic (including marine and freshwater) value chains^[4].

The destination supports the European Green Deal, and in particular:

• the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), adopted in March 2020, and the subsequent initiatives along the entire life cycle of products^[5];
• the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change adopted in February 2021^[6];
• the EU zero pollution action plan^[7], adopted in May 2021, with the chemicals strategy for sustainability^[8] from October 2020 and the new approach for a sustainable blue economy^[9] adopted in May 2021;
• the EU forest strategy for 2030^[10]: research and innovation will be key drivers in achieving the ambitious goals of this strategy;
• the EU climate law targeting climate-neutrality by 2050 and AFOLU^[11] climate-neutrality by 2035, which supports increased focus on bio-based circular consumption, as part of the Fit for 55 package proposed on 14 July 2021^[12];
• the new European Bauhaus initiative^[13] and the renovation wave^[14].

Furthermore, the Horizon Europe work programme for 2023-2025 of will play a critical role in implementing the EU strategy for sustainable textiles^[15], which highlights the strategic role Horizon Europe initiatives play in R&I in the textile ecosystem. Textiles are the fourth highest category as regards pressure on the use of primary raw materials and water and fifth for GHG emissions, and are a major source of microplastic pollution in production and use phases. They are also a key material and product stream in the circular economy action plan. Improvements in the circularity of the textile value chains will help reduce GHG emissions and environmental pressure. The framework is established in the strategy for sustainable textiles, The transition pathway is a multistakeholder process, that could support implementation Attention should be paid to ensuring a circular, safe and sustainable design and the use of new sustainable biobased materials, as well as to collection, sorting and upcycling. Automated processes and digital solutions should help increase reuse and recycling. The safe-and sustainable-by-design concept aligns circular, safety and bioeconomy approaches with zero pollution. R&I can link various EU policies, namely those related to the green and digital transition, resilience and competitiveness. Under the proposed Ecodesign Sustainable Product Regulation (SPI)^[16] the Commission will set out ecodesign requirements on design in order to reduce the environmental footprint of products, striving for products to be kept in circular use for as long as possible.

The wide range of EU initiatives supported by this destination includes:

• the industrial strategy;
• the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability;
• the SME strategy;
• the revised (2018) bioeconomy strategy^[17] and its action plan;
• the communication on sustainable carbon cycles;
• the sustainable blue economy approach and its offshoot initiatives;
• the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030;
• the farm to fork strategy;
• the upcoming EU agenda for tourism;
• the plastics strategy and the action plan on critical raw materials.

In addition, this destination will contribute to the transition pathways of energy-intensive industries, textiles, construction and agri-food industrial ecosystems.

Where appropriate, proposals are encouraged to cooperate with the European Commission Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy, also for the purpose of dissemination and exploitation of results.

Expected impact

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to:

• develop the circular economy and bioeconomy sectors;
• ensure natural resources are used and managed in sustainable and circular manner;
• prevent and remove pollution;
• unlock the full potential and benefits of the circular economy and the bioeconomy, with clean secondary raw materials, ensuring competitiveness and guaranteeing healthy soil, air, fresh and marine water for all, through better understanding of planetary boundaries and wide deployment and market uptake of innovative technologies and other solutions, notably in primary production (forestry) and bio-based systems.

More specifically, the proposed topics should contribute to one or more of the following impacts:

• Regional, rural, local/urban and consumer-based transitions are accelerated towards a sustainable, regenerative, inclusive, just and clean circular economy and bioeconomy across all regions of Europe. Special attention should be paid to the most sensitive/vulnerable^[18] and greenhouse gas-intensive regions, based on better knowledge and understanding of science, and improved capacity to design, implement and monitor policies and instruments for circular and bio-based transitions.
• European industrial sustainability, competitiveness and resource independence are strengthened by reducing the use of primary non-renewable raw materials and greenhouse gases emissions and other pollutants, achieving an improved environmental footprint (including on biodiversity), enabling climate-neutrality, zero pollution^[1] and higher resource efficiency. This will also be supported by increasing circular and bio-based practices in textiles, plastics, electronics and construction, developing further on industrial symbiosis as well as circularity and sustainability by design, cascading use of biomass and, clean secondary raw materials, along and across value chains.
• Innovative and sustainable value-chains are developed in the bio-based sectors replacing fossil-based value chains, increasing circular bio-based systems from sustainably sourced biological resources, and replacing carbon-intensive and fossil-based systems. Such a development will be supported through R&I in biotechnology and other enabling technologies, which is a prerequisite and driver of future solutions for a circular economy and the bioeconomy transition. This will involve with inclusive engagement with all stakeholders, including policymakers and will increase access to finance and technical support along whole supply chains for bioeconomy projects.
• The benefit for consumers and citizens, including those in rural areas, are improved by establishing circular and bio-based systems based on sustainability, inclusiveness, zero pollution^[1], health and safety. All value chain actors (manufacturers, retailers, service industry, consumers, public administration, including on regional level, primary biomass producers etc.) are involved to a significantly higher degree.
• Multi-functionality and management of forests in Europe are safeguarded based on the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental and social), in particular to optimise the contribution of forests and the forest-based sector in mitigating and adapting to climate change.
• Potential of marine and freshwater biological resources and blue biotechnology is enlarged to i) deliver greener (climate-neutral and circular) industrial products and processes, ii) help characterise, monitor and sustain the health of aquatic ecosystems for a healthy planet and people, and iii) help in the drafting of proposals for accompanying changes in regulation where necessary.

[1] See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of this Cluster.

[2] Synergies ensured with Horizon Europe Clusters 4 and 5 (including their European public private partnerships), while Cluster 4 targets the industrial dimension (including digitalisation, circularity and climate-neutrality / low GHGs emissions industry transition, including developing bio-integrated manufacturing). Cluster 5 covers cost-efficient, net zero-GHGs energy systems, centred on renewables (including the R&I needed to reduce CO₂ emissions from the power and energy-intensive industry sectors, such as solutions for capturing, utilising and storage of CO₂ (CCUS), bioenergy/biofuels and other industrial sectors) Cluster 6 covers the research and innovation based on sustainable biological resources (bioeconomy sectors), in particular for new sustainable feedstock development and valorisation through the development of integrated bio-refineries).

[3] In synergy and complementarity with the EU public-private partnership for a ‘Circular Bio-based Europe’ (CBE JU), (especially as related to the size of actions – IAs and RIAs, and Technology Readiness Level and the industrial-focus of activities, with the first CBE calls expected in 2022).

[4] In synergy and complementarity with the EU partnership for a climate-neutral, sustainable and productive blue economy and with the EU mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’.

[5] It targets how products are designed, promotes circular economy processes, encourages sustainable consumption, and aims to ensure that waste is prevented and the resources used are kept in the economy for as long as possible. This plan also aims to ensure that the circular economy works for people, regions and cities, fully contributes to climate-neutrality, zero pollution and resource use decoupling and harnesses the potential of research, innovation and digitalisation

[6] COM(2021)82 final “Forging a climate-resilient Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate”.

[7] COM(2021)400 final ‘Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All EU Action Plan: “Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’.

[8] COM(2020) 667 final ‘Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment’.

[9] COM(2021)240 final ‘On a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future’.

[10] COM(2021)572 final ‘New EU Forest Strategy for 2030’.

[11] AFOLU: “Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use”.

[12] COM(2021)550 final “'Fit for 55': delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality”.

[13] COM(2021)573 final “New European Bauhaus Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”.

[14] COM(2020)662 final “A Renovation Wave for Europe - greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives”.

[15] COM(2022)141 final “EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles”.

[16] COM(2022)142 final Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC .

[17] European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European bioeconomy policy: stocktaking and future developments: report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/997651.

[18] Taking into account all aspects of sustainability, i.e. social, economic and environmental, and in particular sensitivity/vulnerability to the effects of the climate change, as well as due to the current social dependency on fossil resources, especially in remote, rural and low-income regions and cities.

[19] See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of this Cluster.

[20] See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of this Cluster.

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