I work as a scientist and this is absolutely true. My recent research proposals (EU) are all tailored to progress "Agenda 2030" as the program requires, such that funding can be approved. They concern sustainability, safety and COVID thingies.

However, very little will come of such research projects. They are not innovative or stimulating innovation. It is just doing the bare minimum to get the annual reports approved after which you get the money. Most of these projects concern over 10 consortium partners. They can never produce any results beyond the bare minimum. Then after the project concludes you move on to the next project.

It is a system that is inherently broken. Politicians want to show how "progressive" they are. They spend large swabs of tax-payer money on funding organisations. These funding organisations create research programs to move research into certain directions. The funding organisations need to spend the money and they need something to show for it. The scientists come to the feeding station and will gladly join in all the bla-bla to get the food.

If I were a politician, I would ban such research funding by law. Only individual researchers would get some funding in the form of scholarships. The rest of the research is done more efficiently by civilians or companies.