ExpectedOutcome:
To support the new EU forest strategy, successful proposals will assess research needs and funding possibilities for forestry and the forest-based sector, notably for the multifunctionality and management of forests in Europe based on the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental and social). Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Better insights into existing funding sources (including Horizon Europe, rural and regional development funds) and streamlining of research and innovation (R&I) actions in Europe.
- Establishment of a co-creative environment allowing stakeholders to identify jointly existing research gaps and future priorities to coordinate research efforts at regional, national and European level.
- Intensified trans-national R&I cooperation in forestry and the forest-based sector on research priorities, critical and key technologies.
- Creation of an open-innovation ecosystem with relevant stakeholders in the EU and associated countries to support the evolution of the forest-based sector.
Scope:
A key R&I challenge for the coming years is to address the complexity of the forest-based sector in environmental terms (long life cycle, ecosystem functioning and diversity, spatial variability, interface between the soil and the atmosphere, in the middle between cultivated and natural assets), economic terms (multiple forest owners and SMEs, competitiveness on global markets) and policy terms (many forest-related policies including biological diversity, climate and energy, bioeconomy, rural development, trade, agriculture, etc.).
A successful transition of the forest-based sector towards greater sustainability needs to be underpinned by a comprehensive scientific assessment. Better coordination of research activities is also required to overcome fragmentation of public research efforts, to strengthen the link between forest managers, industries and society and to streamline the activities of European, national and regional stakeholders.
Proposals will:
- Analyse the forest-based sector in an integrated way, considering different biodiversity and bioeconomy issues, societal expectations and climate change risks that call for an intensified European and international collaboration.
- Design a suitable method for conducting foresight analysis on issues that are likely to have an impact on forests in European regions and globally.
- Consider the future availability of and demands for different forest resources, and assess their sustainability within the changing global economic, social and environmental conditions.
- Provide evidence and knowledge on how existing funding sources at EU (including Horizon Europe, rural and regional development funds), Member State, associated countries’ and regional levels are mobilised to support research and innovation initiatives in the forest-based sector.
- Address the necessity for new knowledge to support major transitions and innovations in forestry and the forest-based sector in view of the new EU forest strategy and other major policy initiatives.
- Develop a structured framework for a European network of research funding and research policy organisations across the different parts of the forest-based and related sectors to increass cross-fertilisation between different areas of knowledge generation and innovation activities.
- Develop an R&I roadmap at EU-level and prepare for a possible European partnership or other appropriate comprehensive actions under Horizon Europe.
- Provide scenarios and information on how to maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs between the different funding instruments and research needs (environmental, economic and social dimensions)
- Assess the potential of flagship projects in selected key strategic areas in the forest-based sector (e.g. integrated forest research across several dimensions of sustainable forest management; landscape-level integration of forest research at the interface with other sectors (agriculture, cities, water); increased, sustainable wood production and mobilisation; renewable building materials for healthier living; role of new wood-based products to reach climate neutrality by substitution effects; contributions of the forest-based sector in the green recovery).
Proposals must implement the ‘multi-actor approach’ and ensure a value chain approach, with adequate involvement of the forestry and forest-based sector.
Social innovation is recommended when the solution is at the socio-technical interface and requires social change, new social practices, social ownership or market uptake.
Cross-cutting Priorities:
Foresight
