get of 22 million euros and will be divided in two different stages, both opening on 17 October 2023 and closing 22 February 2024 (first stage) and 17 September 2024 (second stage) Destination 7 - Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions of the Green Deal Destination 7 is the most innovative of the seven, as it focuses on the development of innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions of the Green Deal. It is divided in two calls that have an overall budget of 28 million euros for 2023 and of 33 millions for 2024, in particular: HORIZON-CL6-2023- GREENDEAL-01 open from 22 December 2022 until 28 March 2023 has a 28 million euros budget HORIZON-CL6-2024- GREENDEAL-01 has a 33 million euros budget and will be open from 17 October 2023 until 22 February 2024.Horizon Europe Cluster 6 has a total budget of almost 2 billion euros (1.96 billion) for the 2023-2024 work programme. It focuses on environmental protection and food security, aiming to reduce environmental degradation, halt and reverse the decline of biodiversity, better manage natural resources, and ensure food and water security. It takes into account the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, the European Climate Pact, and the Sustainable Development Goals. The seven Destinations of the work programme are Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Fair, Healthy and Environmentally-Friendly Food Systems, Circular Economy and Bioeconomy Sectors, Clean Environment and Zero Pollution, Land, Oceans and Water for Climate Action, Resilient, Inclusive, Healthy and Green Rural, Coastal and Urban Communities, and Innovative Governance, Environmental Observations and Digital Solutions of the Green Deal. Each Destination has several calls, with a total budget of 1.96 billion euros for the two-year period. The calls focus on topics such as reducing pollution, substituting harmful chemicals, improving the environmental sustainability and circularity of bio-based systems, reducing environmental impacts of and pollution in food systems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing carbon sinks, and strengthening the nexus between the ocean and climate change.

The European Union has proposed the EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS) to help finance the transition to a low-carbon economy and mobilize the capital needed to achieve ambitious climate and sustainability goals. The EU GBS is a voluntary standard for companies and public entities that wish to raise funds on capital markets to finance green investments. It is based on the EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities and requires that at least 85% of the funds raised by the bond are allocated to economic activities that align with the Taxonomy Regulation. Issuers of EU GBS must disclose information about how the bond’s proceeds will be used and how those investments feed into the transition plans of the company as a whole. The disclosure requirements are set out in template formats and are open to be used by companies issuing bonds which cannot fulfill all the requirements to qualify for the EU GBS. This will allow investors to more easily assess, compare and trust that their investments are sustainable, thereby reducing the risks posed by greenwashing. The EU GBS is an important step towards achieving the Paris Agreement’s targets and will help the green bond market to grow more quickly.

The European Union's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is a legislative proposal to revise the existing Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, as part of the 'Fit for 55' package. It aims to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector, which is responsible for 40% of EU energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. The EPBD sets ambitious goals for all new buildings to be zero-emission from 2028, with solar installations being obligatory requirements on new roofs by 2028 and residential buildings undergoing renovation having until 2032 to comply with the new energy efficiency targets. Residential buildings must achieve at least energy performance class E by 2030 and D by 2033. Adeline Rochet, Senior Policy Advisor part of the Clean Economy Team of 3EG, explains that the EPBD will bring direct benefits to homeowners, such as lower energy bills and improved air quality, which will have a positive impact on citizens' health and public budget. The EPBD also provides enabling conditions to reach the set goals, such as better access to finance, contractors, installers, and raw materials. It also provides preferential loans from banks to finance renovation projects, and a service to assist people in their renovation projects. The EPBD will be voted on during the next plenary session of the EU Parliament in March, and while some changes have already been made, the Council is giving more importance to the immediate interests of the states rather than the collective interest of Europe in the longer term. The EPBD provides a clear pathway for the industry to organize, and will be beneficial for homeowners in terms of predictability and practicability.

is a network of more than 30 funding organizations from across Europe and beyond, with the aim of supporting and increasing coordination and convergence of national and regional funding programmes on research and innovation related to materials and battery technologies. The 2023 call is open from 1 March 2023 and has an indicative budget of more than 30 million euros. The call focuses on six specific topics: Next generation materials for advanced electronics, Advanced materials and technologies for health applications, Functional materials, High performance composites, Sustainable advanced materials for energy, and Innovative surfaces, coatings and interfaces. The call also has horizontal objectives such as strengthening interdisciplinarity, supporting the innovation chain, supporting the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and supporting the European Green Deal. There are no overall limits on the M-ERA.NET level, but national/regional limits regarding the available funding will apply. The Pre-Proposal Deadline is 16 May 2023, 12:00 noon, Brussels time, and the Full-Proposal Deadline is 21 November 2023, 12:00 noon, Brussels time. M-ERA.NET 2023 call aims to fund ambitious transnational RTD projects addressing materials research and innovation, including materials for batteries and low carbon energy technologies, with the goal of achieving the environmental and growth objectives set in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will also develop responsible research and innovation processes to systematically address socio-ecological, ethical and political dimensions of material research, development and use.

Green Assist is a new advisory initiative under InvestEU, with a budget of up to 30 million euros, provided by the LIFE programme. It is designed to help public and private investors trigger investments in green projects, such as natural capital, biodiversity, circular economy, climate change adaptation, climate mitigation, and greening non-environmental sectors. The initiative provides free advisory services to project promoters and managers, financial institutions, and other project partners. Eligible projects must respond to certain criteria, such as being located in the EU-27 or other participating countries, representing an environmental benefit, and having clearly defined objectives and milestones. Examples of eligible projects include building with waste, renewing clothes, and creating a more sustainable learning environment. Green Assist can help with technical difficulties, business challenges, and validating projects to provide credibility to contributors. To apply, visit the Green Assist website.

The European Commission has approved the communication “A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age”, which outlines the EU’s new priorities and guidelines to reach its climate targets. The Plan will be discussed during the Special European Council on 9 and 10 February. The Plan is based on four pillars: a predictable, coherent and simplified regulatory environment; faster access to finance; enhancing skills; and open trade for resilient supply chains. The first pillar focuses on a simpler regulatory framework that will provide a fast-track permitting process and develop standards to support the scale-up of technologies across the Single Market. The second pillar focuses on speeding up investment and financing for clean tech production in Europe, introducing temporary flexibilities in State aid rules and proposing a European Sovereignty Fund. The third pillar is more human-centered and focuses on making available the means to create green and digital skills. The fourth pillar is about global cooperation, making open and fair trade work for the clean transition, and creating a Critical Raw Materials Club. The Plan promises to ensure sufficient access to raw materials, like rare earths, that are vital for manufacturing key technologies, while ensuring high environmental standards and continuing research and innovation. It also aims to make consumers benefit from the lower costs of renewables, and to transform the Temporary Crisis Framework into the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework for State aid.