Filter Search for grants
Call Navigation
Call key data
Integrated and coordinated approaches for coral reefs and associated ecosystems (mangroves and seagrass beds) conservation, restoration, and climate mitigation and adaptation
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Call number
HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-07
deadlines
Opening
06.05.2025
Deadline
17.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 12,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
€ 6,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
In line with the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU climate adaptation strategy, successful proposals will contribute to the impacts of this Destination, notably to protect healthy ecosystems and to restore degraded ones ensuring the provision of ecosystem services, including for adaptation and/or mitigation to climate change. The research will contribute to the objectives of the European Climate Law, which requires Member States to promote nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation.
Call objectives
Coral reefs and seagrass beds represent about less than 1% of the ocean’s surface and mangrove cover about 1%. They are home to at least 25% of known marine species and supporting up to 40% of fish species of the global ocean through food webs and nutrients cycles. About half of the coral reef ecosystems have disappeared since the 1950’s, 29% of the known areal extent of seagrass has disappeared since the initial records from 1879 and about 35% of the original mangrove area was lost by the end of the 20th century, as consequences of direct drivers at play for the past decades (pollution, extraction, overfishing, harmful fishing practices, coastal development, deforestation), invasive alien species and now additionally from increasing climate change impacts (rising sea surface temperature, marine heatwaves, sea level rise, deoxygenation, acidification, etc.). Providing multiple ecosystems services and benefits for people, research, conservation and management efforts have increased in the recent years but often targeted these systems individually, with various duration and focus and long-term observation and management.
Where they co-occur, coral reefs (including mesophotic extensions), mangroves and seagrass beds share tight ecological connections. Recent observations during coral bleaching events suggest that jointly protecting mangroves, seagrasses, and reefs may synergistically increase the success and benefits of conservation due to positive feedback at habitat boundaries. However, an integrated land-sea planning and management remain challenging because of knowledge gaps in their functional ecology and connectivity, in the spatial extents of their interactions, their seasonal patterns, the socio-political decision-making contexts for local / national planning at sea or on land, and the scarce access to knowledge, experience and to spatial data. Most of past and ongoing interventions are isolated from one another, displaying a fragmented landscape in terms of approaches, of targets, of resources and by limited recognition and inclusion of IPLCs traditional stewardships of these coastal ecosystems. Based on IUCN protected area dataset, only 18% of coastline where mangroves, seagrasses, and reefs interact are protected. Nevertheless, these data set underrepresents areas managed by IPLCs, which manage or have tenure rights over at least ~38 million terrestrial km2 worldwide.
read more
Expected effects and impacts
In particular, proposals should:
- where shallow coral reefs (including mesophotic extensions), mangroves, and seagrasses coexist and interact: provide an improved understanding of the functional ecology, their species assemblages' and communities, their connectivity through life cycle stages and food webs structures and complexity in the healthy functioning and co-evolutionary processes of these ecosystems and in the biogeochemistry of sediments and their impact on climate change mitigation and adaptation, in order to design and inform effective management and restoration measures;
- look particularly at functional groups in maintaining the health, as well as the potential of adaptation to changes of corals assemblage, mangrove and sea grass beds, in particular top predators, reef sharks and species controlling algae proliferation and possible IAS and climate change. Proposals may also look at the role of the microbiome, periphyton or symbionts associated to shallow and mesophotic corals ecosystems healthy functioning;
- better understand the consequences of loss of coral reefs (including mesophotic extensions) and associated ecosystems, both in terms of coverage and diversity, on food web locally and cascading on distant communities and of socioeconomic impacts;
- combine different scientific disciplines, and where relevant, possible active restoration measures (coral cuttings or larval propagation on the reef or artificial structures, fishing management, acoustic assisted fish recruitment in restored areas, etc.), for developing approaches for their effective management and restoration, based on functional targets, (departing from usual approach focusing on a single species and coral cover or biomass), so as to support coral reefs and associated ecosystems, mangroves & seagrass beds complexity and connectivity as best asset for their (climate) resilience, co-evolutionary processes and adaptation potentials;
- jointly develop management and restoration guidelines with IPLCs knowledge, state of the art science and integrating lessons learnt and legacy from past and ongoing relevant initiatives from research to aid projects at regional, national, EU (such as the FPI Governance MPA Atlantic & Southeast Asia or the BEST initiative - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European overseas) or international levels and consolidate a community of practice in socio-ecological management in networks of protected area managers and locally managed marine areas;
- guidelines should also be going beyond local objectives, considering the trophic and life traits connectivity and with special attention to future climate and abiotic conditions;
- contribute to the coordination and capacity building activities of relevant international initiatives and frameworks, in the design and dissemination of actionable knowledge and guidelines to relevant stakeholders; develop training materials, capacity building and empowerment tools, the access to data and scientific expertise to local actors for ecosystems description and the development of ad hoc localised management measures;
- develop or integrate means and methods (such as sensors, in situ observation devices, remote sensing products developments, citizen science data, etc.) for a cost effective, accessible and lasting monitoring of these functionally associated ecosystems in order to inform on their status, on the effect of measures and to identify necessary management adjustments to changes;
- support natural capital valuation for cost/benefit analysis of measures of conservation and restoration for coral reefs and associated ecosystems and the services and benefits they provide (food, cultural & social values, nature-based solutions for coastal resilience, protection against extreme events, climate adaptation, etc.) and how they affect fishing, shipping, local tourism or other programmes for sustainability, such as offshore wind.
Proposals should envisage clustering activities with projects funded under this topic as well as with other relevant international or Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 projects working on links between marine biodiversity, functional ecology, ecosystem services, socio-ecological management, cumulated impact of multiple stressors and on observation, mapping, and monitoring for application to the protection and restoration targets. To this end, proposals should foresee dedicated tasks and appropriate resources for coordination measures, joint activities, and deliverables.
Proposals should ensure adequate involvement of researchers, Local Communities and Indigenous People, end-users, MPA managers or governance levels relevant to inform, support and implement measures, actors contributing to practical and ready to use knowledge, tools and freely accessible dissemination and capacity building channels.
Proposals should foresee cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity and the Science Service project BioAgora. Proposals should also show how the planned activities could provide timely information for consideration by the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and in particular the IPBES assessment on integrated biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning and ecological connectivity expected to be delivered in late 2027.
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and involvement of SSH experts. International cooperation is encouraged.
read more
Expected results
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- increased protection, restoration, and resilience of coral reefs and associated ecosystems in both protected and non-protected areas, acknowledging the objectives of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, the climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies;
- effective management and land-sea planning of those associated ecosystems are based on approaches considering them together and integrating field experience with state-of-the-art and indigenous populations & local communities (IPLC) knowledge into hands-on guidelines;
- international initiatives are supported in the effort to coordinate and reduce the fragmentation of the current landscape of interventions and resources for the conservation and management of these ecosystems. The capacity for a durable intervention is built in outermost regions, overseas countries and territories of the EU and in third countries, in particular Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
read more
Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, International organization, Natural Person, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
Due to the specific challenge of this topic, in addition to the minimum number of participants set out in the General Annexes, consortia must include, as beneficiaries, at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different Least Developed Country and/or Small Island Developing State. All international organisations are exceptionally eligible for funding.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 50 pages.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and EnvironmentHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment(kB)
Contact
To see more information about this call, you can register for free here
or log in with an existing account.
Log in
Register now