1. Accelerating the green transition and energy access in Africa
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02-16
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply (HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02)
Type of action
HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Opening date
04 May 2023
Deadline date
05 September 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time
Open for submission
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
· Technologically reliable and economically viable renewable energy solutions by 2030.
· Improve climate adaptation and/or climate mitigation potential of the solutions compared to other technologies/solutions.
· Strengthening of the joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Collaborative Partnership efforts, with emphasis on improving the visibility of EU Science Diplomacy actions in Africa.
· Proven positive environmental, health, climate, social and economic impacts of the renewable energy solutions.
· Acceleration of the achievements of the African countries’ targets of the Paris Agreement.
Scope:
The proposal should demonstrate innovative sustainable renewable energy solutions that improve climate adaptation and/or mitigation potential compared to other technologies/solutions in the African social, economic and environmental contexts. The proposal may address development of renewable energy sources, including solutions for off-grid communities, and their integration into the existing energy system. Proposals should consider the generation of renewable energy, and where relevant the transmission, and the use of storage/battery systems.
The action should cover either urbanised or rural contexts in Africa. It should contribute to reducing the stress on the water-energy-food nexus, with the aim of providing sustainable renewable energy access and creating other socio-economic benefits such as improved health, economic wealth and jobs.
Actions should design, construct, commission and operate the demonstration installation. Actions should also develop and implement a tailored value chain approach, identifying the most suitable manufacturing value chains, on the basis of the local context, local material supply chain(s) and local workforce, with the objective of ensuring sustainable local economic development. African SMEs are expected to play an important role in the overall value chain and to contribute in the identifying the needs. Actions should also include the identification of technical, vocational and educational needs of the workforce and propose relevant training and qualification activities. Actions should finally define a market and business strategy that could take into consideration funding from financial instruments and aid programmes to ensure impact through a quick and viable commercial take-up of the technological solution demonstrated.
Social innovation should be considered. The business plan should include appropriate consideration of available financial support instruments (local, regional and/or international) to enhance the speedy market deployment of the solution.
Proposals should include a life cycle analysis showing the impact of the proposed solutions when compared to other technologies/solutions on the environment, on climate change targets and on the social and the economic dimensions, taking a cradle to grave viewpoint. The life cycle analysis should take a cradle to grave approach. Proposals should adopt a circular economy approach.
As the demonstration installation will be located in Africa, relevant African partners have to participate in the implementation of the project. A balanced involvement in the activities of the projects of European and African partners will be considered an asset in the evaluation.
Actions should also participate in and contribute to the African Union[1] - European Union collaborative research action on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy, in particular through cooperation/collaboration with the project LEAP-RE, “, www.leap-re.eu.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
[1]“African Union member states” includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.
2. Development of microalgae and/or direct solar fuel production and purification technologies for advanced aviation and /or shipping fuels
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02-08
Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply (HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02)
Type of action
HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Opening date
04 May 2023
Deadline date
05 September 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time
Open for submission
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to at least 3 of the following expected outcomes:
· Availability of disruptive sustainable renewable fuel technologies in order to accelerate the replacement of fossil-based energy technologies in aviation and/or shipping.
· Reduced cost and improved efficiency of sustainable microalgae-based and/or direct solar renewable fuel technologies and their value chains.
· Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European industry in possibly game-changing microalgae and/or direct solar renewable fuel technologies.
· Enhanced sustainability of aviation and/or shipping fuels, taking fully into account circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
· Reinforced European scientific basis and European export potential for renewable energy technologies through international collaborations (e.g., the AU-EU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy partnership, the missions and innovation communities of Mission Innovation 2.0).
· Increasing European energy security and reliability by enlarging the renewable feedstock basis for aviation and maritime fuels as well as maintaining and fostering the European global leadership in affordable, secure and sustainable microalgae-based and/or direct solar fuel renewable energy technologies.
Scope:
Development of microalgae and/or direct solar fuel production and purification technologies for making advanced aviation and /or shipping fuels from microalgae and/or direct sun use a techno-economic feasible, cost-effective and sustainable option for large-scale use of microalgae-based and/or solar-based advanced fuels in aviation and /or shipping. Specific focus should be on purification of microalgae biomass and /or direct solar fuel components and delivery to advanced algae-based fuels and /or direct solar fuels for aviation and/or shipping. Acknowledging problems of culture or system contamination and the specific challenge of energy-efficient product purification, the specific techno-economic challenges of microalgae and/or direct solar fuels for renewable fuel production should be addressed with novel and innovative technologies, by taking in particular into account effects on CAPEX, OPEX, energy efficiency, GHG balance and circularity of materials and process streams. Proposals should also address systemic constraints and opportunities for scaling-up algae-based and/or solar fuel technologies.
Direct solar fuels are in this context renewable synthetic fuels made by direct conversion routes from solar to chemical energy. Photovoltaic systems with separate fuel production and hydrogen as a fuel end-product is excluded.
The sustainability and GHG reduction should be addressed on a life-cycle assessment basis including circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects.
Projects are expected where possible to collaborate with and contribute to the activities of the Coordination and Support Action funded under the topic HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01-16
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
3. Improvement of light harvesting and carbon fixation with synthetic biology and/or bio-inspired//biomimetic pathways for renewable direct solar fuels production
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-01-04
Programme
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-01)
Type of action
HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Planned opening date
12 September 2023
Deadline date
16 January 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
Forthcoming
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to at least 3 of the following expected outcomes:
· Availability of disruptive and sustainable solar fuel technologies in order to accelerate the replacement of fossil-based energy technologies with more efficient use of primary solar energy in solar fuel production.
· Reduced cost and improved efficiency of solar-based renewable fuel technologies and their value chains by addressing rate-limiting steps in the solar fuels value chain.
· Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European industry in possibly game-changing solar fuel and synthetic biological technologies.
· Enhanced sustainability of solar fuels, taking fully into account circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
· Reinforced European scientific basis and European export potential for renewable energy technologies through international collaborations (e.g., the AU-EU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy partnership, the missions and innovation communities of Mission Innovation 2.0).
· Increasing the European energy security and reliability by improving the solar fuel conversion efficiency as well as maintaining and fostering the European global leadership in affordable, secure and sustainable solar fuel technologies.
Scope:
Development of novel in-vivo or in-vitro biochemical and/or bio-inspired/biomimetic pathways for solar fuel production with increased efficiency in comparison to light and dark reactions of natural photosynthesis by synthetic biological and/or bio-inspired/biomimetic approaches. The aim is to achieve a significant improvement of components of both, light harvesting and carbon fixation, which are rate limiting for the conversion of solar energy to renewable fuels. Proposals are expected to include case studies for analysing the potential and impact of the technology for future application at scale and analyse possible interfaces with other solar fuel technologies, with a particular focus on socioeconomic and environmental sustainability including circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects and cost-effectiveness. All relevant aspects of safety of the technology are expected to be addressed. Hydrogen as a fuel and end-product is excluded.
Projects are expected where possible to collaborate with and contribute to the activities of the Coordination and Support Action funded under the topic HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01-16
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 3-4 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
4. Next generation low-emission, climate-resilient pathways and NDCs for a future aligned with the Paris Agreement
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D1-01-05
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Climate sciences and responses (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D1-01)
Type of action
HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Planned opening date
12 September 2023
Deadline date
05 March 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
Forthcoming
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
Projects results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
· Methodologies and approaches to promote improved transparency, consistency, and clarity of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction commitments.
· Production of more diversified, granular, and customised state-of-the-art pathways consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement at global, national and sectoral levels in a diverse selection of countries, better reflecting different national circumstances and constraints and promoting synergies between climate action and other policy objectives.
· Science-based evaluation of selected existing pathways, policies, and measures to implement NDCs and Long-Term Strategies to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
· Extended use of modelling, climate change scenarios and mitigation pathways based on provision of tailor-made tools, trainings, and services to end-users.
· Enhanced international cooperation on identification and implementation of effective mitigation strategies that are aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
· Improved knowledge base to inform the UNFCCC processes, including the design and revision of post-2030 NDCs and the Global Stocktake in 2028, as well as major international scientific assessments such as the IPCC and IPBES reports.
Scope:
As showcased by various independent assessments, the current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate policies fall short of reaching the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement. Strengthening is necessary to close the ambition and implementation gaps, and to align national climate action with global objectives, while simultaneously achieving the broader Sustainable Development Goals and social welfare.
Moreover, while countries have put forward plans, strategies, and announcements to reach “net-zero” targets, these commitments are hard to compare due to varying definitions, ranging from “zero-carbon” to “net-zero CO2” and “net-zero greenhouse gases” whereas choosing different gases, different (time)scales and different aggregation methods can lead to very different climate outcomes. To address these concerns, actions should define principles for high-integrity, more coherent climate commitments and review processes.
Projects should contribute to strengthening of national climate policies, NDCs and long-term strategies, by developing next generation low-emission transformation pathways, with increased sectoral detail, and fostering more holistic and more integrative approaches that promote synergies and minimise trade-offs between mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity and other policy objectives. They should support the creation of tools that evaluate the existing NDCs and facilitate monitoring processes.
Projects should address some of the following aspects in their research:
· Development of sectoral climate transition scenarios (energy production, transport, industry, buildings, food/agriculture etc.).
· Increase the understanding of the role of ecosystems, in particular land use, in NDCs and other climate commitments identifying options for enhancing transparency and coherence with global models and pathways.
· Enhance knowledge about the role of non-CO2 gases in meeting the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement and the implications for the transition pathways of countries and sectors.
· Improve the integration of climate impacts and risks in mitigation pathway analysis, including cost-benefit analysis.
· Advance knowledge on adequacy and fairness of climate commitments and strategies, taking into consideration feasibility of actual deployment. This should include, but not be limited to, the analysis of the role and effectiveness of international financial flows in delivering on climate goals together with identification of most impactful approaches.
· Improve understanding of how corporate and non-state commitments could affect national/regional mitigation pathways, for example through their effect on global supply chains.
Co-creation with various stakeholders in the private and public sectors is expected under this topic to ensure that the outcomes produced remain relevant for their end-users. Actions should contribute to improving accessibility of climate change scenarios and models by non-specialist audiences, for example through development and delivery of dedicated services and tools that facilitate user-friendly access and proper use.
Actions may cover a set of regions or be focussed on a specific one and explore it in greater detail. However, in all cases consortia should benchmark their results with global mitigation pathways.
International cooperation is encouraged, in particular with countries of the African Union[1] and least developed countries[2] requiring support for the design and implementation of their NDCs and long-term strategies, as well as with countries making part of the global top ten emitters[3].
Synergies with projects resulting from the topic D1-9. 2023 - Science for successful, high-integrity voluntary climate initiatives should be established as regards the role of non-state voluntary climate initiatives in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and with projects resulting from the Horizon 2020 topic LC-CLA-02-2019 -Negative emissions and land-use based mitigation assessment[4] as regards latest methodological developments.
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines including ethics and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
When dealing with models, actions should promote the highest standards of transparency and openness, as much as possible going well beyond model documentation and extending to aspects such as assumptions, code and data that is managed in compliance with the FAIR principles[5]. In particular, beneficiaries are required to publish data and results in open access databases and/or as annexes to publications. Projects should also take into account, during their lifetime, relevant activities and initiatives for ensuring and improving the quality of scientific software and code, such as those resulting from projects funded under the topic HORIZON-INFRA-2023-EOSC-01-02 on the development of community-based approaches.
[1]“African Union member states” includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.
[5] FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
5. Non-Li Sustainable Batteries with European Supply Chains for Stationary Storage (Batt4EU Partnership)
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-01-02
Programme
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-01)
Type of action
HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]
Deadline model
single-stage
Planned opening date
07 December 2023
Deadline date
18 April 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
Forthcoming
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
Projects are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:
· A European economic base which is stronger, more resilient, competitive and fit for the green and digital transitions, by reducing strategic dependencies for critical raw materials.
· Development of post-lithium cell chemistries with target cell- and system-level cost, safety, energy density and power metrics suitable for the selected stationary energy storage markets.
· Credible projected storage costs of less than 0.05 €/kWh/cycle by 2030, particularly for applications with a (minimum) storage durations of up to 8 hours.
· Set out a clear route to a feasible, European-based supply chain that reduces reliance on critical raw materials, substituting with abundant, non-toxic, inherently safe raw materials and minimises the impact of possible international trade disruptions and customs tariffs, taking account of the requirements for a range of stationary storage use cases.
· Demonstration of system operated in end-user conditions for at least 3,000 hours.
· Projected product cycling life 5,000 cycles in conditions operating conditions typical of the selected application.
· A battery storage solution, that works safely and efficiently across a wide range of ambient conditions.
· A defined concept for demonstrable, highly sustainable, circular manufacturing for the selected battery type, with sustainability measured in terms of recognised economic, environmental, social and ethical metrics.
Scope:
Non-lithium-based batteries have the potential to provide solutions for integration of renewables by providing energy storage solutions, either stand-alone, or as part of larger grid. Proposals are invited for projects which advance the development of non-Li battery systems, show their potential to be manufactured at scale at a cost the market will bear, and which meet regulatory requirements (including regulations for the recycling/re-use of batteries).
Projects may target any stationary storage applications, from a few kWh in small-scale domestic behind-the-meter units, to many MWh in large utility-scale front-of-meter installations.
Whilst stationary storage packaging constraints may not be as stringent as mobile applications in terms of volume and mass, total cost (€/kWh/cycle) and safety are critical to proving technological and commercial viability. Safety concerns become especially prominent as installation sizes increase due to the huge amount of stored chemical energy.
This topic is open to all non-lithium battery chemistries.
Projects are expected to:
· Develop and demonstrate sustainable and safe non-lithium battery solutions from abundant, non-toxic raw materials, capable of deployment in a large share of stationary energy-storage markets aligning the safety and sustainability assessment with the Commission Recommendation on safe and sustainable by design chemicals and materials[1].
· Develop and demonstrate an innovative non-lithium battery technology with energy density and power metrics suited to stationary energy storage applications; and
· Prove the battery system’s sustainability and compatibility with a European supply chain.
· Risks will be demonstrably managed to the lowest possible level and within standard acceptable societal limits for toxicity and safety.
Projects are encouraged to:
· Develop new materials that improve techno-economic performances and/or the ability to meet sustainability targets.
· Show how cell and system design and material improvements optimise techno-economic performance by defining (i) technical and commercial targets, and (ii) quantified success criteria/KPIs by which progress toward achieving the targets may be evaluated during both development and validation phases of the project.
· Demonstrate a credible commercial and technical path, from end-of-project outcomes to a stationary-energy-storage product, and which takes account of future manufacturing and recycling requirements.
· Provide evidence of current and future sustainability, viable European supply chains and rigorous analyses of the complex sustainability and recyclability issues including compatibility with regulation, including recycling regulations.
· Demonstrate minimal towards no maintenance requirements.
BMS development is within scope where relevant but should not be the main focus of the project. In any case, developments of the BMS need to take into account the renewable energy directive and any pending amendments, notably for the requirements for real-time access to the data of the BMS.
Projects which, in addition, demonstrate the suitability of the solution under development for other emerging energy storage markets, such as motive power for off-road and transport applications with similar system requirements are encouraged.
Projects focussed on materials discovery for novel chemistries are out of scope. However, material refinements of known chemistries undertaken to achieve performance, sustainability, safety and cost targets are in scope.
Plans for the exploitation and dissemination of results for proposals submitted under this topic should include a strong business case and sound exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. The exploitation plans should include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).
Proposals should indicate to which chapters of the Strategic Research and Innovation Plan for chemicals and materials[2] they will contribute.
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, international cooperation is encouraged for use cases, particularly with India, Africa and Australia.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
[1]Commission Recommendation (EU/2022/2510) establishing a European assessment framework for ‘safe and sustainable by design’ chemicals and materials.
6.
Mission Ocean and Waters and Mission A Soil Deal for Europe – Joint demonstration of approaches and solutions to address nutrient pollution in the landscape-river-sea system in the Mediterranean sea basin
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-SOIL-01-01
gramme
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Mission Ocean & waters and Mission Soil Deal for Europe Joint demonstration of approaches and solutions to address nutrient pollution in the landscape-river-sea system in the
Mediterranean
sea basin (HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-SOIL-01)
Type of action
HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Opening date
17 January 2023
Deadline date
20 September 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time
Open for submission
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
This topic contributes to the implementation of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Soil Strategy for 2030, the Bioeconomy Strategy and the EU Action Plan: 'Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil'. It addresses the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ specific objective 4 – reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration, targets T.4.2 – reducing fertiliser use by at least 20% and T.4.3 – reduce nutrient losses by at least 50%. It relates to the Mission Ocean and waters’ objective 2 – prevent, minimize and remediate pollution of marine and freshwater ecosystems, which has a focus on the Mediterranean Sea basin. It also contributes to the objectives of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) - including in terms of Good Environmental Status and restoration of aquatic ecosystems - and the Marine Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD).
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
· accelerated uptake of integrated innovative and reproducible approaches to prevent, minimise and remediate soil and water pollution from excess nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) in the landscape-river catchment-sea system and transition waters in the Mediterranean Sea basin;
· accelerated uptake of integrated innovative and reproducible approaches to reduce the use of fertilisers and to prevent, minimize and remediate nutrient pollution and reduce ocean and inland water eutrophication;
· foundations for future demonstration and upscaling activities on integrated innovative approaches to prevent, minimise and remediate soil and water pollution from excess nutrients, and to reduce the use of fertilisers, in ‘associated regions’;
· empowerment of citizens to take action against pollution of soils, waters and the ocean.
Scope:
Soils are essential for all life-sustaining processes in our planet. If they are healthy and managed sustainably, they provide many benefits to people, nature and climate. However, 60-70% of soils in Europe are in an unhealthy condition[1]. One of the reasons for poor soil health in Europe is the excess of nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) due to an excess of fertiliser applications. The presence of nutrients in soil at concentrations higher than plant requirements not only reduces their capacity for providing their vital ecosystem services, but the nutrient runoff contaminates groundwater, streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes and seas, and increases the risk of water and ocean eutrophication. Addressing nutrient pollution is crucial to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, in particular in relation to nutrient losses in agriculture.
Consequently, proposals should demonstrate scalable breakthrough innovations (technological, business, social and governance) in the landscape-river catchment-sea system, including coastal ecosystems, in the Mediterranean Sea basin addressing all following issues:
· Upstream prevention and reduction of nutrient (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) losses from soil, and of soil and water pollution from excess nutrients, such as through reduction in the use of traditional/mineral fertilisers and/or their sustainable substitution with bio-based fertilisers, improved nutrient retention in soil and slower release to crops, improved nutrient use efficiency, integrated landscape and soil management, reduction of nutrient losses from rural and urban communities;
· Prevention of entry of nutrients in river catchment areas and their reduction, for example through improved wastewater treatment, use of green filters and other measures for reducing the flow of nutrients through the river system and prevention and reduction of their entry into the estuary/sea;
· Measures to reduce/eliminate excess nutrients in/from the estuary/sea to reduce or eliminate the risk of eutrophication.
Proposed solutions for pollution prevention, elimination and remediation should not increase the level of anthropogenic air emissions or underwater noise, or lead to other potential environmental impacts. Proposed solutions should be in line with the EU taxonomy regulation[2] and delegated acts.
The consortium must carry out demonstration activities in 3 different Member States or Associated Countries of the Mediterranean basin, involving and including in the consortium partners from these respective countries. The demonstrations should be carried out at the level of territorial units, such as a rural area, an urban community, a region, a river basin or an estuary, to show effectiveness of the demonstrated solutions.
The demonstration of solutions should be fully adapted to the local conditions for reduction of use of fertilisers and of nutrient losses from soil, and they should take place in a real-life demonstrative context (e.g. actual farms and/or forests ) with well-defined system boundaries. Demonstrations should also involve actual users of the solutions (e.g. land owners, soil managers, water managers, river management authorities, etc.). Proposals should ensure a balanced regional distribution of the demonstration sites, taking into account pedo-climatic conditions, topographic conditions, soil types, farming/forestry systems, soil water regimes, and include all relevant elements of the water system (ground waters, surface waters, streams, as well as, where relevant, coastal and estuarine waters).
In line with the impact-driven approach of the Missions, proposals are expected to work with and engage at least five ‘associated regions’[3] to showcase in additional geographic areas the feasibility, replicability and potential for upscaling of the solutions developed within the projects. The funded projects should ensure that the associated regions are located in Member States/Associated countries other than those that are part of the project consortium. Regions located in European sea basins other than the Mediterranean Sea basin are eligible to be selected as associated regions, with a view to upscaling and deployment of the demonstrated solutions in other areas.
The consortia should proactively reach out to the associated regions to enable them to follow closely the project and its demonstration activities. The projects should continuously share their outcomes and knowledge with associated regions and may provide them with technical assistance to build capacity and to implement solutions to reduce fertiliser use and to prevent, minimise and remediate pollution of soil and water from excess nutrients in their territory. The technical assistance to the associated regions may include advice for the preparation of roadmaps, plans and projects to reduce fertiliser use and to prevent, minimise and remediate pollution from excess nutrients, to address possible barriers and show the feasibility of implementing integrated innovative approaches.
As a mechanism to provide knowledge transfer and technical assistance to the associated regions, the selected projects may provide support to third parties in the form of grants. The maximum amount of the envisaged Financial Support to Third Parties is EUR 100 000 per third party for the entire duration of the action. Proposals should outline the selection process of the third parties to which financial support would be granted based on principles of transparency, objectivity and fairness. An associated region shall benefit from the Financial Support to Third Parties provided under this topic only once.
Proposals should:
· Ensure the involvement of different stakeholders with complementary expertise in different stages of the projects and take into account the needs of the stakeholders and users;
· Build upon existing knowledge and solutions and support the upscaling of successful solutions, including from beyond the EU, designed and developed in the frame of projects funded by current and previous European and national programmes, in particular the European Union Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation (such as Horizon 2020);
· Include dedicated training and communication activities taking place in the demonstration sites, for dissemination and accelerated adoption by other potential users of the approaches demonstrated in the project, as well as for citizen engagement and soil, water and ocean literacy improvement (including for advisory services);
· Include a mechanism and resources to establish links with the Implementation Support Platform of the Mission Ocean and Waters and the Implementation Platform of the Mission A Soil Deal for Europe; as appropriate, also link with other Missions’ relevant initiatives.
· Include dedicated tasks and adequate resources for coordination measures, networking and joint activities with other relevant projects funded under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, and in particular with the other project funded under this topic. These coordination measures, networking and joint activities could, for example, involve the organisation of and participation in joint workshops, the exchange of knowledge, the coordinated development and adoption of best practices, or joint communication activities.
· Collaborate with the JRC’s EU Soil Observatory, in particular as regards interoperability, sustainability and longevity of data and knowledge; and
· Support the Ocean and Water Knowledge System, in particular by contributing to knowledge creation and data collection.
Potentially, projects financed under this topic could cooperate with future Living Labs and Lighthouses created under dedicated call topics from the Mission A Soil Deal for Europe and working in the area of reduction of fertiliser use and of soil pollution from excess nutrients. Moreover, the sites for demonstration of solutions for reduction of use of fertilizers as well as reduction of nutrient losses from soil established within the projects funded under this topic could themselves qualify to be considered as Lighthouses in the sense of the Mission A Soil Deal for Europe, if they comply with the criteria laid down in the Implementation Plan of that Mission[4].
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
[3]‘Associated regions’ are understood as areas with ecosystems that can benefit from the demonstration activities (e.g. neighbouring regions and/or in a different sea basin) and/or less-developed regions, with the view to build capacity to implement the innovative solutions to reduce fertiliser use and to prevent, minimise and remediate pollution from excess nutrients. The proposals should ensure that the associated regions are located in Member States/Associated countries other than those that are part of the project consortium.
7.
EU-African Union cooperation on agroforestry management for climate change adaptation and mitigation
TOPIC ID:
HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-10
Programme
Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call
Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption (HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01)
Type of action
HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Planned opening date
17 October 2023
Deadline date
22 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
Forthcoming
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
In line with the European Green Deal priorities and the farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environment‑friendly food system, and in support of the climate objectives of the African Union (AU) and the EU, the successful proposal will contribute to the AU-EU High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation, and its priority on Green Transition (and the respective R&I partnerships on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change and Sustainable Energy), as well as to the implementation of the short-term actions outlined in the working document of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, aiming to translate R&I efforts into tangible business, development and employment opportunities in Africa and Europe.
Projects results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
· Improved availability of qualitative and quantitative data pertaining to the contribution of agroforestry to climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and to sustainable agriculture;
· Improved management of agroforestry systems (conventional, agroecological and/or organic), including agro-pastoral systems, in Africa;
· Enhanced capacities to evaluate the socioeconomic and environmental performance of agroforestry for climate change resilience;
· A strengthened agroforestry innovation ecosystem for better user acceptance and implementation of agroforestry in the African Union (AU).
Scope:
Achieving sustainable agricultural production that fosters both climate change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity preservation and enhancement is a policy objective that implies finding a balance with farm productivity, socio-economic viability and wider sustainability goals. Agroforestry systems include both traditional and modern land-use systems where trees are managed together with crops and/or animal production systems in agricultural settings. These systems have the potential to increase ecosystem services – including soil carbon sequestration, water retention, erosion control, soil nutrients, pollination, pest- and disease-control – and biodiversity, while improving farming productivity, profitability and sustainability of farmers’ incomes. Implementation of agroforestry in the EU and the AU needs to be boosted in order to maximise this potential. The management of agroforestry systems is critical for their positive impact on climate and the environment as well as to ensure a balance with productivity and profitability for farmers. This is essential to promote the uptake and long-term sustainability of agroforestry.
Proposals should address the following:
· Identification of the most suitable plant and animal species and breeds to be used in agroforestry for different geographic regions in Africa, generating sustainable ecosystems with positive impact on local communities, and on women, looking for models where this impact is greater. In vegetation management systems preference should be given to local species, to avoid potential unintended consequences linked to the introduction of alien species;
· Assessment of local multi-purpose agroforestry species and breeds with benefits for food, pharmaceutical uses as well as ecosystem functions for the soil, biodiversity and their functions in a vegetation mosaic;
· Assessment of specific agroforestry management measures aiming at preserving/enhancing biodiversity;
· Assessment of the potential of carbon farming[1] as a possible future business for farmers and foresters, and analysis of its potential to contribute to reaching climate-neutrality in a few decades;
· Identification of the structural needs of agroforestry crops and animals in different geographical regions in Africa, including the analysis of production burdens, suggesting solutions and addressing traceability of all steps in the production chain to measure the effectiveness of solutions;
· Supporting this new value chain with knowledge and capacity building to be efficient, fair, and easily adopted, or not abandoned, by landowners and farmers;
· Establishing local agroforestry pilot plots.
Proposals must implement the “multi-actor approach” including a wide range of actors to ensure that knowledge and needs from various sectors, such as research, farmers/foresters, advisory services, are brought together.
This topic should involve the effective contribution of SSH disciplines.
Proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources and a plan on how they will collaborate with other projects funded under this topic, as well under topic HORIZON-CL6-2021-CLIMATE-01-08: ‘Agroforestry to meet climate, biodiversity and farming sustainability goals’.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 3-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.