How Climate KIC is turning climate ambition into action

One of the first of Europe’s ‘knowledge and information communities’ (KIC), pronounced ‘kick’) the Climate KIC is focussed on addressing climate change by fostering innovation projects that drive decarbonisation and enhance climate resilience.

And with a whole system approach it addresses not only the ‘visible’ but also the ‘invisible’ aspects of climate change, such as ‘mindset’.

“We don’t think of it at first but mindset is very important in the whole system,” says Marlene.

That whole system approach, encompassing the social, political and environmental, also extends to the areas of activity, which encompass cities, regions and countries but also sectors such as industry and construction – basically where emissions are stubborn and resilience may be weak – and equally with startups as with more established players.

One example of Climate KIC’s work is the deployment of renewables, with a recent project in Poland assisting and preparing for the phasing out of a coal-based economy.

“Every time one replaces a fossil fuel basis  into renewables, one generates some impacts. The question is, what are those impacts and how can we help local communities to absorb them and adapt, and then thrive as well,” says Alberto.

Another part of Climate KIC’s work is powering the Circular Supply Chain Coalition in Europe, which is aimed to implement circular supply chains for critical raw materials.

With its role of bringing together players across the supply chain, from feedstock providers to policymakers and funders, leadership is key – and is a particular interest of Alberto’s and was the subject of his MBA thesis.

“What I found is an interesting correlation between people who can actually understand the systems and the compounding effects on climate and who are able to act upon it, while at the same time there are people not willing to take action.”

At the root of this primarily is fear or uncertainty and it raises the concept of what Alberto terms the ‘courageous leader’.

“The ‘courageous leader’ is not a leader in the organisational sense but a leader who is able to act upon their fears and that’s particularly relevant for Climate KIC with the ‘invisible’ aspects of climate change.”

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