France's Vision for 2030
The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is spearheading a significant push into high-risk, high-reward research projects with a focus on emerging sectors like DNA data storage and light-matter interaction. This ambitious endeavour, called the "Acceleration of High-Risk Research" program, is part of the France 2030 plan and has a €2 billion budget over the next ten years.
The program is a response to the state's "High-Risk Research" initiative, aimed at funding scientific projects that are too uncertain for traditional funding channels, yet have the potential to revolutionise our understanding of the world. The CNRS asserts its leadership in high-risk research, not only in France but also in Europe, through this program.
Under the France 2030 plan, the CNRS leads or co-leads around forty national programs, each dedicated to specific areas of research. These programs cover five major themes, although the specific details about these themes are not disclosed. The CNRS's National Programs Mission serves as an essential coordination tool.
Exploratory Priority Research Equipment and Programs (PEPRs) are dedicated to these emerging sectors, with a €1 billion envelope. These projects span five broad application fields, including extreme events prediction (ALEAS) and fighting biofilms and microplastics (CATFoam).
The selection process for these programs relies on the CNRS's internal expertise and its network of over 1,000 laboratories. The first twelve projects selected by the CNRS are the focus of a recent report, available at this link.
The report aims to understand how risk-taking drives fundamental research and perhaps society as a whole. The CNRS program encourages bold research projects with the potential for major scientific, technological, and societal breakthroughs.
In addition to the PEPRs, Acceleration PEPRs support ongoing transformations like decarbonized hydrogen and artificial intelligence. These projects are funded through the Investments for the Future Program (PIA3). The national programs cover five major themes, although specific details about these themes are not provided in this paragraph.
The France 2030 initiative, launched in 2021, supports innovative actors across France with the aim of identifying, supporting, and developing projects to "bring the future closer." The first wave of high-risk research projects is being selected by the CNRS under the France 2030 plan.
However, as of the report's publication, there are no publicly available detailed lists of specific researchers or research groups selected under the "Acceleration of High-Risk Research" program launched as part of the France 2030 initiative.
This new direction in research is a bold step towards France's ambition to strengthen its position in critical scientific domains for technological, economic, societal, health, and environmental transformations. The CNRS is at the forefront of this effort, leading the way in high-risk research with the aim of pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge and driving technological innovation.
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