Citizen-led recommendations for the Horizon Europe Missions on sustainability

News

Democracy

26 Feb 2025

Friends of Europe is part of the consortium for the SSH CENTRE project, the new centre of excellence for the social sciences & humanities (SSH) across the Horizon Europe Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility. It will bring SSH insights to the fore in transition-related policy and practice to accelerate the EU’s transition towards carbon neutrality.

Supported by 13 leading organisations from across Europe, the project engages directly with stakeholders – including researchers, policymakers, business representatives and citizens – to strengthen social innovation, SSH-STEM collaboration and transdisciplinary policy advice. Issues related to open science, inclusivity and diversity – especially with regards southern and eastern Europe and different career stages – are at the heart of the project.

The SSH CENTRE project aims to ensure that the concerns of citizens aren’t left behind and that SSH thinking is introduced to policymakers working on the European Green Deal.

Read the full report

The Horizon Europe Missions were launched in 2021 to tackle major societal challenges and deliver tangible results by 2030. A key pillar of these Missions is citizen engagement – ensuring that public voices help shape policies on climate, energy, and sustainability. However, after three years of implementation, more sustained consideration of citizen perspectives is needed.

To address this gap, Debating Europe, as part of the SSH CENTRE project, engaged 160 citizens from 25 countries in a series of focus groups and policy discussions. The resulting report, “Citizen-led recommendations for the Horizon Europe Missions on sustainability”, presents concrete proposals on four key EU Missions:

Climate-neutral and smart cities – accelerating the green and digital transformation of urban areas.
Adaptation to climate change – enhancing resilience against climate-related risks.
Restore our ocean and waters – protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems.
A soil deal for Europe – advancing sustainable land management and soil health.

Through a series of online group discussions and policy panels, citizens engaged directly with policymakers and experts to share their perspectives. Their contributions shaped targeted recommendations on how the EU Missions can integrate public input more effectively and ensure lasting impact.

Beyond mission-specific recommendations, the report also outlines broader strategies for improving citizen engagement in EU policymaking. Key takeaways include simplifying EU policy language, adapting moderation techniques for inclusive discussions and ensuring sustained public involvement beyond one-time consultations.

To drive lasting change, citizen voices must be at the heart of Europe’s sustainability agenda. Read the full report to explore how participatory policymaking can help shape a greener, fairer future.