Leading role for the Netherlands in the knowledge cluster on climate and innovation
Next year the new European Institute of Technology (EIT) will become operational. This initiative of the European Union will provide a powerful stimulus to research and innovative power in Europe in the coming years through intensification of international collaboration. The European Institute of Technology has 4 years of funds available for so-called “Knowledge and Innovation Communities” (KICs) in three areas that are key for Europe’s future: sustainable energy, ICT, and climate adaptation and mitigation. The KICs are made up of strong consortia which combine knowledge institutes and businesses and are spread throughout various locations (co-locations) in Europe. The Netherlands is spearheading the Climate KIC.
Climate KIC
In the Climate KIC, knowledge institutes and businesses from some five countries have joined together to address today’s global challenges in the area of climate change. They combine their research to find new ways, on the one hand, to reduce the effects of climate changes and, on the other hand, to learn how we can better adjust to changes. Four themes are central: improved insight into climate changes and the causes of them; the transition towards flexible, climate-neutral cities; adjustment to flooding and water shortage; and sustainable production systems, including those for CO2 storage.
Recently the deadline passed within which consortia could submit proposals to the European Union. With a grant of 120 million euros from the European Institute of Technology (the decision will be made in late December), 240 million from the corporations and supplementary contributions from other partners, the European consortium hopes ultimately to have a budget of some 500 million euros for 4 years.
Cooperation
For the Netherlands, the University of Utrecht, TU Delft and Wageningen UR are working together with TNO and Deltares. Particularly exciting is the involvement in the Dutch cluster of two regional governments, the city harbours of Rotterdam and the Province of Utrecht. From the Dutch corporate sector, Shell, DSM and Schiphol airport are participating. In the international consortium, the Netherlands will lead mainly in the areas of water management, sustainable production systems and climate-neutral cities.
The co-locations abroad will similarly be led by top universities, such as ETH in Zurich, ParisTech in Paris, Imperial College in London and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research in Berlin. International corporations, including Shell, DSM, Cisco, Bayer, IBM, Veolia, Beluga, Thales and EDF, have indicated their willingness to invest substantially in the collaboration.