Cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition (Horizon Europe)

The Destination 2 contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the “Facilitating a clean and sustainable transition of the energy and transport sectors towards climate neutrality through cross-cutting solutions”.

This Destination covers thematic areas which are cross-cutting by nature and can provide key solutions for climate, energy and mobility applications. In line with the scope of cluster 5 such areas are batteries, hydrogen92, communities and cities93 and others. Although these areas are very distinct in terms of challenges, stakeholder communities and expected impacts, they have their cross-cutting nature as a unifying feature and are therefore grouped, if not addressed in other places of this work programme, under this Destination.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Batteries

Increased competitiveness and strategic autonomy of EU Battery sector while maximising sustainability.
Enhanced local and circular supply chains by reducing dependency on critical raw materials and upscaling processing capacity, also for recycled materials.
An integrated European battery sector for high performance batteries, from design to manufacturing and all the way to end of life, reducing environmental impact.
Improved resilience of EU energy system and facilitated integration of renewable energy sources through application of energy storage.
Affordable and reliable batteries to boost the market penetration of Electric Vehicles and storage systems.

Cities and Communities

This topic is for continuation of the Driving Urban Transition (DUT) co-funded partnership to assist cities in their sustainability and climate neutrality transitions. The main impacts expected are:

Strengthen EU as a role model for R&I and cooperation with international cities to align strategies and support the role of DUT as co-lead of the Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) under Mission Innovation (MI);
Innovative urban governance, policy, and decision-making engaging citizens in the city making process;
Integration of mobility and transport services, and their alignment with citizens’ needs; • Climate-neutral, safe, inclusive and liveable neighbourhoods, towns, cities and urban services for the citizens’ well-being;
Empowerment of all actors such as local authorities, business, civil society, knowledge institutions and citizens, being engaged in climate-neutrality transitions;
Evidence-based implementation of the European Green Deal, the Urban Agenda for the EU and other urban-relevant policies and strategies.

Call Topics with the submission deadline 24 Sep 2025