Climate Solutions
European Climate Moonshot
CONCEPT NOTE
Proposal. Europe should consider a €7–10 billion European Climate Moonshot as part of its 2028–34 climate and research agenda, with additional high-risk, high-leverage R&D over five to seven years. The Commission has proposed a €175 billion Horizon Europe 2028–34 program that includes science-driven “moonshot” projects. The initiative would focus on R&D that could materially reduce climate risk or the cost of low-carbon energy.
Current status. The objective now is for European institutions to evaluate the concept and, if warranted, design, govern, and fund the program through open competition. This is not a funding request for any particular organization.
Portfolio summary. A set of eight $1B open-source proposals already exists and is available for download. The portfolio covers SAI and MCB research, nuclear power site-construction automation, nuclear-powered industrial processing, economic fusion, and global climate model experimental research. A Common Framework addresses governance, procurement, open data, independent review, and stage gates. The existing portfolio is a strawman for European review—not a package to adopt unchanged. Atmospheric-intervention research would build evidence, not authorize deployment.
What Europe would do.
• Convene leading European scientists, engineers, economists, and independent reviewers.
• Red-team the portfolio; add, delete, combine, or re-budget according to evidence & priorities.
• Define milestones, gates, safety/governance requirements, open-science rules, and budget.
• Publish a European Climate Moonshot Roadmap and, if warranted, launch competitive calls.
Implementation mechanism. Europe should determine the appropriate structure. Possibilities could include a Horizon Europe scientific moonshot, European Partnership, Joint Undertaking, a Commission-level initiative involving multiple DGs, or another EU mechanism. No execution team is needed now; an eventual program would fund many performers and consortia.
Why now. Horizon Europe 2028–34 is being negotiated, and the Commission is consulting on future Joint Undertakings and European Partnerships through 16 October 2026. This is a timely point to introduce the concept.
Immediate ask. We seek short discussions with European Commission leadership, DG CLIMA, DG RTD, the Joint Research Centre, Parliament’s research committee, and major European research organizations. Our question: Is a European Climate Moonshot worth independent evaluation, and what institution or group should lead that evaluation?