This guide will help you understand the role of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Green Charter. You will learn why environmental sustainability is important to the MSCA and how the Green Charter applies to your project.
What is the MSCA Green Charter?
The MSCA Green Charter promotes the sustainable implementation of research activities. This is in line with the goals of the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe’s economy sustainable.
As the EU’s flagship programme for the mobility and training of researchers, as well as the development of doctoral programmes, the MSCA is committed to tackling climate and environmental-related challenges.
Code of good practice
The MSCA Green Charter is a code of good practice for individuals and institutions who are in receipt of MSCA funding. All participants are expected to adhere to the Green Charter on a "best effort" basis and to commit to as many of its provisions as possible during the implementation of their projects.
At final reporting stage, all MSCA projects will be asked to report on the ways they have sought to minimise the environmental impact of their research activities and how they applied the principles of the Green Charter.
The Green Charter does not compromise the bottom-up nature of the MSCA, where topics are chosen freely by the applicants and the main drivers are scientific excellence and innovation. Physical mobility of researchers remains a key feature of the programme.
General principles of the Green Charter
The sustainable implementation of your research project starts at the planning stage and continues throughout the lifetime of the project. The goal of the MSCA Green Charter is to encourage sustainable thinking in research management.
Some measures individuals and institutions are invited to consider are to
- reduce, reuse and recycle
- promote green purchasing for project-related materials
- ensure the sustainability of project events
- use low-emission forms of transport
- promote teleconferencing whenever possible
- use sustainable and renewable forms of energy
- develop awareness on environmental sustainability
- share ideas and examples of best practice