Consumption patterns and environmental awareness as enablers of transition to circular economy
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The transition to a circular economy is key to reducing pressures on natural resources. It is also a prerequisite to achieve the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target and to halt biodiversity loss. Sustainable consumption and production are key elements in the societal transition to a competitive circular and sustainable economy. Decoupling economic activities and human well-being from natural resource use and environmental impacts is essential and necessary. As part of the transition, with the emergence of circular and sustainable products, consumers will play an even more important role in making sustainable choices. Consumer empowerment encourages sustainable choices, which in return contribute to pollution reduction and climate neutrality.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals should address the gaps in public awareness about the environmental impacts of the mainstream consumption patterns and between prevalent consumer knowledge/awareness and actual behaviour. Proposals should make use of social innovation and should analyse and identify the economic, social, behavioural, psychological, technical and legal barriers and levers for the uptake of circular and sustainable products, solutions and services. The analysis should address relevant aspects of fairness, equality, diversity, inclusion, and gender.
Proposals should first assess the patterns and underlying motivations of consumption habits through experimentation within various cultural, geographical, social, demographic, and economic groups. Based on this assessment, projects should draw and evaluate possible pathways to behavioural change of various economic actors (municipalities, companies including retailers and service providers, end-users) to enable the transition to circular and sustainable economy. These pathways should show how to change the demand for products and services with high environmental impacts and resource intensity, towards more circular and sustainable ones, including used and second-hand products, sharing services, repairability and durability. Possible environmental impacts in this context should be seen from a lifecycle perspective, including and valuing in monetary terms environmental externalities and building on rules set in Environmental Footprint methods wherever possible. The pathways should include policy, governance and business recommendations in all relevant areas (economic, behavioural, educational, technical, legal, cultural, etc.).
Power imbalances between industry and civil society should be addressed, and the impact and potential of Ecodesign, Ecolabel, green claims, and of digital infrastructures and Digital Product Passports should be explored with a view to changing vantage points and consumer behaviour.
Convincing narratives, framing strategies and storytelling tactics should be developed, improving knowledge of selling points, i.e., which features and qualities make a product or service attractive for consumers.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
Expected EU contribution per project: €6.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Environment and Climate Change
- Public Administration
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Consumer Organisations
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding.
- municipalities
- companies including retailers, service providers
- end-users
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy
Dr. Mary Economou
Scientific Officer
Email: meconomou@research.org.cy