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Climate-KIC Holding BV

Climate-KIC

Climate-KIC catalyses systemic change through innovation in areas of human activity that have a critical impact on greenhouse gas emissions and to create climate resilient communities.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Circular Economy Act

6 Nov 2025

The global economy is at a critical juncture, as interlinked environmental, social, and political pressures intensify. States are increasingly pursuing aggressive strategies to secure materials and resources for economic gain. In this context, the Circular Economy Act gives the EU the chance to lead strategically by embedding circularity at the core of its approach to prosperity, resilience, and strategic autonomy. To this end we must enable resource management that reduces demand, fosters innovation, strengthens resilience, and hence improves human wellbeing. A systemic approach is central to achieving these goals, enabling the sustainable use and recycling of resources within planetary boundaries. Circularity ensures that resources are used efficiently, prioritising high-value applications and maximising resource efficiency through reuse and recycling, in line with the cascading principle. Recognising the circular economy as a complex web of interlinked systems allows policies to account for interactions across different sectors, and prevents fragmented decision-making that can undermine efficiency, circularity, and resilience. Natural resources underpin Europes prosperity and security. Over half of global GDP depends on nature and material inputs i.e. resource depletion and price volatility pose direct risks to competitiveness and stability. Material extraction and processing already account for around 60% of global climate impacts, 90% of biodiversity loss, and about 40% of health-related pollution impacts, while the EU remains heavily import-dependent, bringing in over twice the material it exports. Circularity and the use of secondary raw materials are therefore not only environmental priorities but strategic economic imperatives. The EU should treat waste as part of a systemic resource flow and not an end-of-pipe issue, so that Europe can strengthen its resilience, cut external dependencies, and build competitive, circular industrial value chains. The EU has already acknowledged the importance of resource management in addressing the triple planetary crisis and achieving strategic autonomy through initiatives to date. These efforts are important, but insufficient to deliver the systemic transformation required for a circular, resource-efficient economy that meets climate and nature targets while safeguarding long-term security and competitiveness. Challenges to EUs current approach: - Lack of clear long-term direction, leading to fragmented implementation across Member States, - Over-reliance on recycling and waste management, without prioritising the higher-impact opportunities of optimising resource use across provisioning systems, - Focus on sustainable products and efficiency, without addressing unsustainably high levels of consumption, - Limited incentives for businesses to restructure models and reduce material use, - Insufficient attention to the global context, including geopolitical pressures and the embedded impacts of consumption, with a narrow focus on securing raw materials supply rather than also rethinking demand drivers. In this submission, the Systems Transformation Hub presents two complementary sets of recommendations, each informed by systems thinking. Chapter 1 addresses the overarching frameworks and metrics needed to capture circularity as a property of whole systems: how feedback, dependencies, and system boundaries must be reflected in how circular progress is defined and measured. Chapter 2 focuses on key leverage points within those systems, specific areas where policy intervention can generate wider, self-reinforcing change. These recommendations draw on insights from Climate KIC-supported initiatives where practical experimentation showed how targeted action catalyses systemic transformation toward a circular EU. Circularity is also inherently local and most effectively advanced through bottom-up collaboration and place-based innovation that can scale across the EU and globally.
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Meeting with Kadri Uustal (Head of Unit Regional and Urban Policy)

1 Oct 2025 · Exchange on the preparation of the EU Agenda for cities, and work done under the Horizon Europe Mission for Climate Neutral and Smart cities

Response to European climate resilience and risk management law

4 Sept 2025

As Europe's leading climate innovation agency, a key implementing partner of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, and the lead participant in Horizon Europe Missions adaptation related projects (securing nearly 100 mln EUR across 19 projects), Climate KIC is committed to delivering systemic climate innovation and transformative climate action at scale through major projects such as Pathways2Resilience, which empowers 100 regions and communities across Europe to co-design ambitious pathways to a climate-resilient future. Building on our deep expertise and extensive experience in collaborating with regions to implement EU and national-level climate agendas, our main message is that safeguarding communities, protecting nature, and guaranteeing European competitiveness and prosperity in the face of escalating climate risks demands bold, systemic, and integrated approaches delivered at multiple scales, across sectors, through robust multi-stakeholder collaboration. Our evidence and practice-based recommendations: 1. Pursue an integrated, systemic, and multi-level governance approach to resilience; 2. Embed innovation as a catalyst for resilience by design; 3. Ensure just resilience is at the core; 4. Formulate ambitious, measurable targets and provide the enabling conditions to achieve them; 5. Harmonize monitoring, reporting, and verification obligations; 6. Empower local implementation through capacity building, skill building, and tailored support; 7. Ensure long-term financing and enable resource mobilisation; 8. Co-design Nature-based Solutions to generate co-benefits; 9. Build on what already exists; 10. Leverage the power of the Missions to deliver resilience at scale. European Union stands at a critical juncture. Urgent imperatives of climate resilience and risk management are converging with the ambitions for economic competitiveness and security amidst geopolitically turbulent times, demanding transformative, joined-up action, bold leadership, and a long-term vision. True prosperity depends on aligning economic activity with social needs and actual planetary boundaries. Without the capacity to adapt, bounce back from shocks, and regenerate in the face of uncertainty, Europes economic prosperity and social cohesion will remain fragile and at risk. A cohesive and integrated European approach to resilience, preparedness and adaptation to climate change is urgently needed. Our experience in coordinating Pathways2Resilience , has highlighted the importance of innovation ecosystems that blend policy, finance, and participatory governance to accelerate inclusive and equitable place-based resilience outcomes. This approach is further evidenced by the outcomes of projects such as ARCADIA, DESIRMED, and NBRACER. These are Innovation Actions funded under the Mission Adaptation as part of the NBS4EU cluster, which focuses on testing and demonstrating transformative climate resilience solutions through nature-based solutions in around 70 regions and municipalities across Europe. Leading on learning and insights, we have seen first-hand the effectiveness of integrating nature-based solutions that are tailored to the diverse bio-geographies and risk profiles, and that take an approach that is adaptive, scalable, and context-sensitive. Climate KICs unique advantage point is access to to a diverse stakeholder community including municipalities, researchers, entrepreneurs, non-profits and the private sector, which enables us to provide practical insights on how to translate high-level policies into actionable solutions at multiple scales. Our work with regions reveals the critical enabling conditions for transformation, such as capacity-building programmes, peer learning, and innovative financing mechanisms that collectively drive resilience implementation beyond pilot projects. We foster knowledge-sharing and systemic change through place-based transformation.
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Response to Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy

23 Jun 2025

Climate KIC, Europes leading climate innovation agency and community, one of the first created EIT Knowledge Innovation Communities, has over 15 years of expertise in driving systemic change across 60 countries globally. Our approach goes beyond traditional solutions, addressing climate challenges holistically with a focus on long-term transformation. We support climate, environmental, social and economic transitions through systemic, place-based innovation, enabling the transformation of 100+ cities, 150+ regions and multiple countries in Europe and beyond, and leading ground-breaking work in radical collaboration to lift the speed, scale and coordination of climate and environmental action and be able to meet the urgency and pervasiveness of the poly-crises we face. Our solutions intertwine technology, governance, finance, and social change. Protecting and regenerating nature is fundamental to the European economy; without nature there is no sustainable economy, or economic competitiveness. Investing in the bioeconomy is therefore a cornerstone of Europes ambition to achieve climate neutrality, economic resilience, and ecological regeneration. Connecting bioeconomy, circularity, and regeneration is essential because it enables the sustainable use and recycling of biological resources, within planetary boundaries. A circular and regenerative bioeconomy can deliver climate mitigation, rural development, biodiversity conservation, and industrial competitiveness by keeping bio-based materials and products in use for as long as possible, clearly reconciling economic prosperity with ecological resilience. A systemic approach, grounded in place-based innovation and informed by interdependencies across food, energy, water, and biodiversity systems, is essential to realise the full potential of the bioeconomy. However, its implementation is constrained by fragmented governance, regulatory complexity, market failures, and underdeveloped innovation ecosystems. This paper draws on Climate KICs experience, the latest EU and national policy frameworks, and practical case studies to inform the European Commissions consultation on the future of bioeconomy policy. Climate KICs 10 Recommendations: 1. Adopt a Systemic Bioeconomy Framework within Planetary Boundaries 2. Embed Place-Based Innovation and Urban-Rural Integration 3. Implement Cascading and Regenerative Biomass Use with Soil-Centric Approaches 4. Enable Multilevel Governance and Build Institutional Capacity 5. Develop Innovation Ecosystems for Circular Bioeconomy Transitions 6. Accelerate Valorisation Pathways and Carbon Credit Integration 7. Position Soil Health as a Foundation for the Circular Bioeconomy 8. Integrate Water Quality and Nature-based Solutions into Bioeconomy Strategies 9. Build Digital Traceability and Data-Driven Circularity 10. Invest in Workforce Skills, Transition Capacity, and Social Equity
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Response to Policy agenda for cities

26 May 2025

Based on Climate KICs everyday work on innovation and policy-enabled transformation with cities across the EU at all scales, we understand Europes cities and metropolises hold the keys to European prosperity through just, beautiful, sustainable and resilient environments in which the vast majority of European citizens live and work. Europe's future competitiveness and democratic stability depend on its ability to adopt a systemic approach - one that aligns economic renewal with climate and environmental limits and responds to the poly-crisis with inter-connected, future-oriented policies. Cities are where this integration becomes real: where policies meet people, where complexity can be managed locally, and where innovation can be shaped by place-based realities. To unlock the transformative political, social and economic power of cities in Europe, a bold and achievable Vision for Cities is a timely intervention, but it must be based on a holistic and systemic approach, coherent and consistent policy making, and empowerment of cities to act through effective multi-level governance. Based on Climate-KICs place-based experience and our direct work with over 100 cities (from The EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities) as well as regions, relevant stakeholders, and further enriched by our active engagement in the Adaptation and Soil Missions, we offer the following recommendations for the Cities Vision (details in the uploaded evidence document): 1. Reinforce policy coherence and multi-level governance: horizontal and vertical 2. Embed systemic, mission-oriented urban transformation with integrated planning and de-risking at its core 3. Make real use of active citizen participation and direct democracy 4. Turn cities into hubs for skills, capacity building, and transformation intelligence 5. Position European cities as leading-edge centres of innovation - hubs of economic and cultural renewal 6. Restore European cities to centres of European culture, creative Industries and the arts 7. Deliver green, liveable and regenerative cities by implementing nature-based solutions 8. Champion circular and resource-efficient cities as a strategic priority for Europe's sustainable competitiveness 9. Treat data sovereignty as strategic infrastructure with A.I. enabling systemic approaches to innovation and implementation 10. Upgrade funding and investment supporting cities investment models, direct funding, discretionary fiscal tools, programmatic support for cities and regions
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Response to EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy

17 Mar 2025

As a leading European initiative committed to driving climate innovation across cities, regions, countries in Europe and globally, Climate KIC is offering insights and evidence on the pivotal role of startups, scaleups and innovative SMEs in Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in Europe; how competitive sustainability helps to achieve resilience, security and strategic autonomy of the EU; and how consciously directional funding will contribute to scaling-up of startups across the Single Market with the aim of creating lead markets and transforming systems. At the heart of our response is the following message: scaling up startups in Europe should not be an isolated pursuit focused solely on rapid economic growth but rather a structured and integrated process that aligns with solving pressing societal challenges most notably, social cohesion, climate and environmental changes in order to achieve prosperity and resilience. Furthermore, success depends not only on access to venture capital but also on the ability to scale within the EU Single Market, on leveraging demand from cities and regions, integrating into value chains, and benefiting from coherent regulatory and financial frameworks. Realising the full potential of climate solutions requires a concerted global effort, a shift in mindsets, and a stronger focus on demand-driven initiatives. At Climate KIC, we prioritise bridging the gap between the supply of climate innovation and the demand for them, thereby accelerating this change across the EU and globally. Climate KIC works towards realising a world where innovation is not just about breakthrough ideas but about integrating solutions that collectively address the climate and resources crisis demonstrating how competitiveness is based on sustainable solutions that constitute Europes unique competitive advantage.
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Meeting with Hana Genorio (Cabinet of Commissioner Jozef Síkela) and World Resources Institute

14 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on a report by the Systems Transformation Hub entitled “systems approach to the EU’s strategic agenda 2024-29”, with a focus on International Partnerships.

Response to Evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives

7 Mar 2025

As Climate-KIC - a leading European initiative committed to driving climate innovation, we are submitting herewith our feedback and a set of concrete proposals to the call for evidence on Public Procurement Directives. Our experience stems from concrete implementations of place-based initiatives, working hands-on with national, regional and local governments and in close cooperation with a wide variety of stakeholders. We are proposing ten improvements to Public Procurement Directives to ensure resilience, achieve strategic autonomy, build EU wide lead markets - based on sustainability principles.
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Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

18 Apr 2024 · Exchange on potential for cities to create lead markets for industrial decarbonisation solutions.

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and

15 Mar 2024 · Clean Transition Dialogue for Cities

Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

17 Dec 2020

Dear President von der Leyen, Executive Vice President Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President Timmermans, Commissioner McGuinness, and all whom this may concern, The EC has established itself as a world leader on sustainable finance and the taxonomy is a critical element for steering financial flows to the solutions needed to meet the science based trajectories to achieve 2050 neutrality targets whilst strengthening our economy and society. As a former participant in the TEG and a current participant to the platform our inputs are intended to support the success of the Taxonomy. First we commend the European Commission for developing the Taxonomy on the basis of scientific evidence and expert engagement and outreach in the form of the Technical Expert Group (TEG) and the sustainable finance platform. Both are unique multi- stakeholder expert groups whose work to identify a science based technically neutral categorisation of what green finance is and what it is not. The TEG report recommendations were developed over 2 years of intense deliberation and consultation, therefore it is concerning that whilst the Draft Delegated Act (DA) does incorporate many of the recommendations by the TEG (e.g. the thresholds for energy of 100gCO2e/kWh) , and even made some welcome improvements (e.g. the new inclusion of restoration of wetlands und a new category of environmental protection and restoration activities), there has also been some materially significant weakening of criteria and intent. This weakening in the time between the publication of the TEG report and the DA appears to be due to intensive lobbying. We strongly recommend that at this point the EC shows leadership and ensures that the regulation defines a coherent, credible, impactful and usable taxonomy. To achieve this we have made some recommendations which we outline in the following attachment. Kind regards Felicity Spors Head of International Affairs at EIT Climate KIC
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Meeting with Helena Braun (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

9 Dec 2020 · Presentation of the European Green Deal

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and European Environmental Bureau and

27 Oct 2020 · Business and investor support for higher ambition and the just transition

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

30 Jan 2020 · the implementation of the European Green Deal

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

13 Nov 2019 · Discussion on activities of EIT Climate-KIC

Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

27 Mar 2019 · Circular Economy Package and EU Product policy

Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

14 May 2018 · Innovation ecosystems

Meeting with Silvia Bartolini (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

2 Feb 2018 · Horizon 2020 / FP9

Meeting with Carlos Moedas (Commissioner) and

9 Oct 2017 · Innovation policy and strategic innovation in Europe

Meeting with Jos Delbeke (Director-General Climate Action)

10 Apr 2017 · Innovation policy

Meeting with Manuel Szapiro (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

23 Jan 2017 · Innoenergy contribution to Energy Union