Societal Challenges

About

Browse

Horizon 2020 reflects the policy priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy and addresses major concerns shared by citizens in Europe and elsewhere. The societal challenges programme section brings together resources and knowledge across different fields, technologies and disciplines, including social sciences and the humanities. This will cover activities from research to market with a new focus on innovation-related activities, such as piloting, demonstration, test-beds, and support for public procurement and market uptake. This gateway hosts the articles published on Open Research Europe stemming from the Industrial Leadership programme section supported by Horizon 2020.

Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Mapping out the scenarios of ocean energy scale-up based on the development of offshore wind

Authors: Anne-Caroline Pillet, Benjamin Lehner, Simon Stark, Hinne van der Zant

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Abel Arredondo-Galeana, Alain Ulazia, Christian Breyer, Damon Howe, Shona Pennock

Published: January 28, 2025
Open Letter
Revised
Peer review process completed

The strategic concept for the Lithuanian bioeconomy: insights for niche bioenergy sectors

Authors: Vlada Vitunskienė, Akvilė Aleksandravičienė, Jonas Čaplikas, Agnė Dapkuvienė

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Magdalena Borzecka, Rolandas Urbonas, Vida Dabkiene

Published: August 15, 2023
Study Protocol

Peer review process completed

Mapping the international ecosystem of national health data spaces. A scoping review protocol

Authors: Lauren Maxwell

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Mate Bestek, Rada Hussein, Sandra Geisler

Published: June 6, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Progress for carbon dioxide geological storage in West Macedonia: A field and laboratory-based survey

Authors: Pavlos Tyrologou, Agnes Vamvaka, Nikolaos Koukouzas, Jorge Pedro, Marc Fleury, Julio Carneiro, Carlos Ribeiro, Dina Ghikas, Anna Mpatsi, João Pedro Barradas, Paula Faria, Fernanda De Mesquita Lobo Veloso

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Kris PIESSENS, PHUNG QUOC HUY, Rodrigo Sebastian Iglesias

Published: August 9, 2023
Open Letter

Peer review process completed

Introducing patient-centric electronic medicine leaflets in the European Union

Authors: Hannes Jarke, Steven Bourke, Robert Joyce, Silvia Scalabrini, Ken Thursby, Hynek Zalcik, Lea Jakob

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Amber Young, DK Theo RAYNOR, Diana van Riet, Golda Cohen, Pauline May

Published: May 22, 2023
Open Letter
Revised
Peer review process completed

The DECIDE project: from monitoring and surveillance data to decision-support for farmers and veterinarians

Authors: Gerdien van Schaik, Miel Hostens, Céline Faverjon, Dan B. Jensen, Anders R. Kristensen, Pauline Ezanno, Jenny Frössling, Fernanda Dórea, Britt-Bang Jensen, Luis Pedro Carmo, Wilma Steeneveld, Jonathan Rushton, William Gilbert, Angela Bearth, Michael Siegrist, Jasmeet Kaler, Johannes Ripperger, Jamuna Siehler, Sjaak de Wit, Beatriz Garcia-Morante, Joaquim Segalés, Bart Pardon, Jade Bokma, Mirjam Nielen

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Dennis Muhanguzi, Dirk Pfeiffer, Philip Robinson

Published: August 26, 2025
Open Letter

Peer review process completed

ROOTS - Circular policies for changing the biowaste system

Authors: Miguel Ángel Suárez, Elisa Gambuzzi, José M. Soriano Disla, Gemma Castejón, Giulio Poggiaroni, James Ling

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Benyamin Khoshnevisan, Vinay Kumar

Published: May 16, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Co-occurrence of behavioural risk factors for non-communicable diseases among 40-year and above aged community members in three regions of Myanmar

Authors: Aye Sandar Mon, Hla Hla Win, Win Pa Sandar, Poppy Walton, Khin Hnin Swe, Johanna P. M. Vervoort, Jeanet A. Landsman, Martin Rusnak, Jaap A. R. Koot

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: May Soe Aung, Sathish Thirunavukkarasu

Published: January 11, 2024
Open Letter

Peer review process completed

Patient and community engagement in clinical platform trials

Authors: Hannes Jarke, Claas Röhl, Annekatrin Krause, Mathieu Boudes, Fiona Greenhalgh

Funders: Excellent Science, Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges, Science with and for Society

Peer reviewers: Douglas Fernald, Teresa Finlay

Published: May 3, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Comparing energy system optimization models and integrated assessment models: Relevance for energy policy advice

Authors: Hauke Henke, Mark Dekker, Francesco Lombardi, Robert Pietzcker, Panagiotis Fragkos, Behnam Zakeri, Renato Rodrigues, Joanna Sitarz, Johannes Emmerling, Amir Fattahi, Francesco Dalla Longa, Igor Tatarewicz, Theofano Fotiou, Michał Lewarski, Daniel Huppmann, Kostas Kavvadias, Bob van der Zwaan, Will Usher

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: David McCollum, Jesse Jenkins, Paul DEANE

Published: March 21, 2024
Case Study
Revised
Peer review process completed

Evidence-based policy lifecycle management: The H2020 DECIDO experience

Authors: Antonio Filograna, Fabio Perossini, Davide Prette

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Andrea Bonomi Savignon, Tatchalerm Sudhipongpracha, Tsotne Zhghenti

Published: July 20, 2023
Open Letter

Peer review process completed

Fully automated public transportation mobility: the hidden challenges for a commercial deployment

Authors: Dimitri Konstantas, Guy Fournier

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Alexandros Nikitas, Jimi Oke, Simon Oh

Published: May 2, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Microstructural characterization of near-surface microstructures on rail wheels in service – an insight into “stratified surface layers”

Authors: Matthias Freisinger, Andreas Trausmuth

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Christoph Gammer, Roumen Petrov

Published: July 3, 2023
Data Note

Peer review process completed

Idealized hydrodynamical numerical model dataset with no-river runoff at the western tropical North Atlantic

Authors: Humberto L. Varona, Julia Araujo, Moacyr Araujo, Marcus Silva

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Marcio Cintra, Sandrine Djakouré

Published: April 28, 2023
Research Article

Peer review process completed

Attitudes toward immigration in Europe: Cross-regional differences

Authors: Lenka Dražanová, Jérôme Gonnot

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Alexander Schmidt-Catran, Cengiz Erisen, Francisco Rowe, Linda Basile

Published: April 28, 2023
Research Article

Peer review process completed

The Heritage Digital Twin: a bicycle made for two. The integration of digital methodologies into cultural heritage research

Authors: Franco Niccolucci, Béatrice Markhoff, Maria Theodoridou, Achille Felicetti, Sorin Hermon

Funders: Excellent Science, Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Livio DE LUCA, Silvana Bruno

Published: April 28, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Floating photovoltaic systems: photovoltaic cable submersion testing and potential impacts

Authors: Ricardo Rebelo, Luis FIALHO, Maria Helena Novais

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Giuseppe Tina, Sharon Hilarydoss, Shiva Gorjian

Published: September 16, 2024
Open Letter
Revised
Peer review process completed

The science behind soft skills: Doâs and Donâts for early career researchers and beyond. A review paper from the EU-CardioRNA COST Action CA17129

Authors: Shubhra Acharya, Mihai Bogdan Preda, Ioanna Papatheodorou, Dimitra Palioura, Panagiota Giardoglou, Vasiliki Tsata, Sanja Erceg, Teodora Barbalata, Soumaya Ben-Aicha, Fabiana Martino, Laura Nicastro, Antigone Lazou, Dimitris Beis, Fabio Martelli, Miron Sopic, Costanza Emanueli, Dimitris Kardassis, Yvan Devaux, EU-CardioRNA COST Action CA17129.

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges, COST Actions

Peer reviewers: Marialuisa Villani, Monica Pereira, Sandra Alexandra Catherine Buttigieg

Published: October 12, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Understanding the genetic basis of the incompatibility of IncK1 and IncK2 plasmids

Authors: Marta Rozwandowicz, Arie Kant, Jaap Wagenaar, Dik Mevius, Joost Hordijk, Michael Brouwer

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Lu Yang, Manuel Ares Arroyo

Published: October 30, 2023
Systematic Review
Revised
Peer review process completed

How can policy and policymaking foster climate justice? A qualitative systematic review

Authors: Paul Cairney, Irina Timonina, Hannes Stephan

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Eric Brandstedt, Saba Hinrichs-Krapels

Published: October 10, 2023
Open Letter
Revised
Peer review process completed

Open science in energy research

Authors: Raquel Alonso Pedrero, Felipe Van de Sande Araujo

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Antonio Francisco Rodríguez Matas, Gesche Huebner, John Draper, Nicki Lisa Cole, Ronald Marquez, Rosie ROBISON, Sacha Hodencq, Stephan Ferenz, Vinod Veeramachaneni, Zhaoyun Zeng

Published: January 22, 2025
Research Article

Peer review process completed

Electric charging infrastructure and gender equality: An overview for USER-CHI (H2020 project)

Authors: Katharina Csillak, Sophie Kamenz

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Angela Carboni, Katie Parnell, Paula Carroll

Published: March 20, 2023
Research Article

Peer review process completed

Energy skills as a driver to sustainable construction: current status, needs and proposed actions

Authors: Lihnida Stojanovska-Georgievska, Tomo Cerovsek, Tomas Funtik, Ivana Sandeva, Aleksandar Krleski, Hristina Spasevska, Margarita Ginovska

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Fida Siddiqui, Zhengxuan Liu

Published: March 7, 2023
Open Letter

Peer review process completed

Paving the Way for Climate Neutral and Resilient Historic Districts

Authors: Aitziber Egusquiza, Daniel Lückerath, Saioa Zorita, Sophia Silverton, Gemma Garcia, Emilio Servera, Alessandra Bonazza, Igone Garcia, Antonis Kalis

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Giulia Ulpiani, Mariella De Fino, Nicole Heller

Published: March 4, 2023
Research Article
Revised
Peer review process completed

Collaborative design approach to identify research and innovation needs within the European smart building community

Authors: Clémentine COUJARD, Karine Laffont Eloire

Funders: Horizon 2020, Societal Challenges

Peer reviewers: Abdul Samad KAZI, Regis DECORME

Published: October 15, 2024