The EU Commission's Mission Board for Healthy Oceans convened on the margins of the European Research and Innovation Days in Brussels, being chaired by Pascal Lamy, former head of the World Trade Organisation. The Commission is pledging to bring publicly-funded research closer to its citizens through these Horizon Europe 'Missions.'
Horizon Europe breaks ranks with previous European Union funding programmes in its approach to societal engagement. In fact, probably in response to increasing public disenfranchisement from European institutions, Horizon Europe is underscoring the need for funded activities to be of a high societal impact and to be communicated to the public at large in the most clarion of ways.
One way Horizon Europe is seeking to do this is by acting on the recommendations of a number of eminent luminaries, including former World Trade Organisation head honcho Pascal Lamy, who penned the ‘LAB-FAB-APP’ report [PDF] and Marianna Mazzucato through her ‘A problem-solving approach to fuel innovation-led growth’. The need for a mission-driven approach was basically stressed by both and thus the ascent of the Horizon Europe ‘Missions.’
Citing verbatim the draft Horizon Europe legislation, a 'mission' represent a portfolio of excellence-based and impact-driven R&I actions across disciplines and sectors, intended to: (i) achieve, within a set timeframe, a measurable goal that could not be achieved through individual actions, (ii) have impact on society and policy-making through science and technology, and (iii) be relevant for a significant part of the European population and a wide range of European citizens. Missions, which can last for a maximum of ten years, should go the extra mile beyond conventional scientific research in bringing about the necessary policy changes in order to enable implementation of the emerging innovations, thus avoiding the shelving and non-applicability of the same innovative solutions. Missions need to address challenges considered as priorities by the European public – the agenda is now well and truly formulated by citizens.
In cognisance of today’s societal most compelling challenges, five highly relevant thematics have been chosen for this first round of Horizon Europe Missions. These include Cancer, Soil Health and Food, Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, Adaptation to Climate Change and Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters. 15 experts populate each Mission Board, having been selected following a rigorous and highly-competitive selection process, representing a panoply of individual backgrounds, experience and nationalities.
Prof. Alan Deidun, resident academic within the Department of Geosciences at the Faculty of Science and Malta’s Ocean Ambassador, is a member of the Oceans Mission Board, along with 14 other experts with diversified backgrounds, including former MEPs, research institute directors, former DG MARE Directors, former WWF Directors, fishers’ lobbyists, NGO representatives and even freshwater specialists (in view of the intrinsic connectivity between lakes, rivers and the ocean).
Although Board members are not saddled with decision-making powers, they are tasked with providing technical advice to the European Commission on the identification of one or more missions to be launched within their respective thematic area. During this first scoping exercise, Mission Board members will be assisted by a wider pool of experts – the Assembly. Last week, Mission Boards held meetings within the context of the European R&I days being organised in Brussels, with Commissioner Karmenu Vella opening proceedings at the Ocean Mission Board meeting.
Each Mission Board is raring to go given that the potential to do things differently from now is injecting new vibe in the expert members of the same Boards. The sense of expectation is high and concrete progress needs to be achieved in the short-term given that the first missions will be launched in the third or fourth quarter of 2020. The rocket’s engines are definitely revving and the European public will be waiting with bated breath to see which final destination the rocket will end up at, eventually. Prof. Deidun has confirmed that an Oceans Mission Board activity/event will be organised in Malta sometime next year.