Published the Mission-Oriented Research & Innovation in the European Union Report by prof. Mariana MAZZUCATO
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A plastic-free ocean, 100 cities reaching a net zero greenhouse gas emissions balance by 2030, and cutting neurogenerative diseases in advanced age are highlighted as examples of missions that could drive innovation and economic growth |
Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation invited Professor Mariana Mazzucato, director of UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, to spell out a vision of a mission-oriented approach for the EU’s new research and innovation programme launching in 2020 and expected to be worth between 80bn and 100bn Euros
This report was requested as the EU looks to develop a successor to the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, which ends in two years’ time
It includes three illustrative examples of the types of missions that could be mounted to stimulate research and innovation.
- a vision for plastic-free oceans, could set a target of reducing the amount of plastic entering the marine environment by 90% and collecting more than half the plastic in the oceans, seas and coastal waters within the next ten years. It would draw in experts from chemical engineers, marine biologists, environmental scientists and earth observation specialists to fishermen, tourists and local people. The mission would require a combination of solutions, focusing on different facets of the problem, could kick-start an innovative and more efficient way of removing plastics from the ocean.
- a second mission, to have 100 cities reaching a net zero greenhouse gas emissions balance by 2030, could stimulate research and innovation in urban planning, construction, energy efficiency, mobility, behaviour and food production.
- The third mission should to halve the progression of the dementia disease in advanced age patients by drawing in to collaborate all together in inter-disciplinary research patients, doctors, social workers, families, designers.