JPI Climate until 2016

In March 2008, the European Council called on the Commission and Member States to explore the potential of Joint Programming to pool national research efforts to be launched by 2010 (EC, 2008). Germany took in 2009 the initiative to develop a proposal regarding a Joint Programming Initiative in the area of climate change research, which has led to the development of “Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe” (Clik’EU) that was initiated by six core countries (Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands) with the support of other countries (Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and United Kingdom).

In January 2011, a preliminary strategic research agenda was prepared and an organisational structure agreed. The first meeting of the Governing Board was held in May 2011 where the first JPI Climate Strategic Research Agenda was adopted.

The European Commission advised positively on the JPI Climate proposal on 21 October 2011 (EC, 2011) and the Competitiveness Council meeting of 6 December 2011 adopted the conclusion to launch five JPIs, including JPI Climate (Council of the European Union, 2011).

Since May 2011, 17 countries have committed to pool resources to implement joint activities, among which 13 are full members (Austria, Belgium,  Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom) and four associated members (Denmark, Estonia, Slovenia, Turkey). (Read more about the members).

It was agreed to focus on four research themes which were developed in implementation plans by four Working Groups. A Management Committee was formed by the countries of the four Working Group leaders and the two additional countries that initiated the programme (Austria, Finland, France, Germany, United Kingdom, the Netherlands).

In 2015, with the intention to take into account recent developments, both in climate and climate-related research, but also within the the political context after the Paris Agreement and also the socio-economic environment, the JPI Climate Governing Board decided to revise and update the its Strategic Research Agenda (initially published in 2011). The new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda has been adopted by the JPI Climate Governing Board in May 2016.

Other documentation

• JPI Climate Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe, Approach and results of Mapping National Research programmes
• JPI Climate Governance Structure
• Position Paper JPI Climate and Horizon 2020
• Commission Recommendation on JPI Climate
• JPI Climate Launch Report
• JPI Climate Strategic Research Agenda (2011)
• JPI Climate proposal ‘Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe’ (21 April 2010)