The Role of the European Research and Innovation Projects in accelerating the Green and Just transition: Challenges and Possibilities in the Case of the University of Bordeaux

My thesis aims to analyze the role of European Research and Innovation projects in the establishment of a Green, Fair, and Inclusive Europe based on the main novelty of the European Commission, the European Green Deal, and on its objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 without leaving no one behind. My research is based not only on analyzing environmental and climate-related projects funded by the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs as a demonstration of coherence with the new European strategy but also offers a critical look at the difficulties and prospects of these projects in complying with the European green agenda: aiming at achieving social, environmental and economic sustainability altogether. In this respect, my internship at the Bureau Europe of the University of Bordeaux will allow me to analyse the contribution of this institution to European projects aimed at achieving a socially fair green transition. In particular, through the analysis of the Commission’s evaluations of collaborative climate and environment projects under pillar 2 — “Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness” — it will be investigated not only how much the Commission considers the criteria for more Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), but also how relevant these criteria are for obtaining funding. These two objectives are crucial for the success of research and innovation projects aimed at fighting the environmental crisis as well as assessing their social and economic sustainability.