On 7 and 9 January 2022, the European Citizens’ Panel on Climate Change, Environment and Health met for one last time during hybrid meetings – online and in Warsaw, Poland. This European Citizens’ Panel is a citizen-led process of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE). During these events, about 200 citizens from all EU countries gathered to address challenges related to climate, the environment, and health in Europe. They adopted 51 recommendations, to be taken forward during the Conference Plenary, scheduled at the end of January, during which the CoFoE final proposals will continue to be shaped.

The recommendations cover many topics such as the fields of biodiversity and food safety by including recommendations such as investing more research into green and sustainable solutions, finding natural alternatives to pesticides, and requiring declarations on the use of hormonal substances and endocrine disruptors in food production.

Concerning research and innovation in Europe, the citizens’ panel is requesting the following:

• further developing and synchronising already existing health R&I programmes and making academic outcomes and results freely available in all member states;
• increasing the EU budget dedicated for joint research and innovation projects around health;
• Encouraging research and development, with funding schemes, to introduce more sustainable and affordable products within the EU market.

You can read the full list of recommendations here.