Climate Neutrality and Competitiveness
“ This is not only an environmental imperative but a socio-economic opportunity that demands decisive policy support and funding. Europe must act now. ”
The Task Force ‘Helping to shape future research topics’ of the Technical Working Group ‘Innovation & Research’ of the European Wood Policy Platform (WoodPoP) published a new Policy Brief calling for urgent, coordinated action under Horizon Europe’s new framework programme (FP10) to unlock the full potential of Europe’s forests and wood sector.
Wood is one of Europe’s most strategic renewable resources, vital for regenerative growth and decarbonisation through carbon storage in solid wood, wood-based products, and biocomposites Yet its potential remains underutilised in EU Industry and Climate Strategies. This policy brief translates the WoodPoP Policy Paper into actionable recommendations for FP10 to accelerate research and innovation, strengthen the circular bioeconomy, and position wood at the core of resilient value chains and low-carbon construction.
Key Recommendations for FP10
- Excellent Science: Integrate wood science, technology and engineering into the remit of the European Research Council (ERC) to drive breakthrough innovation.
- Competitiveness & Society: Position wood as a cultural and industrial driver of decarbonisation, guided by New European Bauhaus principles and modernised education for green and digital skills to contribute to Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0
- Innovation: Funding innovative renewable materials research and creating dedicated European Innovation Council (EIC) pathways for wood-based solutions, including on cascading use of local and undervalued wood, enabling high-risk, high-reward projects and scaling circular, low-carbon technologies.
- European Research Area (ERA): Integrate wood-related infrastructures into EU-wide networks and mobilise existing facilities to boost transdisciplinary research.
The brief also identifies six priority challenges— economic growth, climate adaptation, decarbonisation, digital traceability, inclusive governance, and skills development—and calls for coordinated investment in research excellence, industrial innovation, and skills development, prioritising the needs of SMEs to strengthen resilience and unlock new markets.
Download the Policy Brief here: https://woodpop.eu/projects/fp10-woodpop-call/