FP7 tailored for sustainability

The renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) recognises the need to strengthen research and technological development in helping to translate the key challenges and objectives of the strategy into concrete action, and to promote a forward-looking and integrated approach on sustainability.

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is tailored to allow EU research to live up to the multifaceted expectations for R&D in the SDS. Indeed, FP7 "should contribute towards promoting growth, sustainable development and environmental protection, including by addressing the problem of climate change" (1982/2006/EC). Moreover, it is explicitly recognised that the overarching aim of the "Cooperation" specific programme – by far the largest specific programme of FP7 – is to contribute to sustainable development.

Interdisciplinarity and integration are key drivers of the EU research policy, and this mirror effect of FP7 and the SDS is reflected throughout the different areas of EU R&D policy. For more information about the contribution to sustainable development of research in the different areas please click on one of the following themes listed hereunder.

In this section you can also find out about the role of international cooperation in FP7 and how it fits to sustainable development, as well as the sustainable development impact assessment tools and indicators and the research being done to improve them. You will also get access to the monitoring system put in place by the Commission services to follow the expected impacts of FP7 on the objectives of the renewed EU SDS.