Filter Search for grants
Call Navigation
Call key data
Tackling human and climate change induced pollution in the Arctic - building resilient socio-ecological systems
Funding Program | Horizon Europe - Cluster 6 - Destination 4: Clean Environment and Zero Pollution | |
Call number | HORIZON-CL6-2023-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-3 | |
deadlines | Opening 22.12.2022 | Deadline 28.03.2023 17:00 |
Funding rate | 100% | |
Call budget | € 12,000,000.00 | |
Estimated EU contribution per project | € 6,000,000.00 | |
Link to the call | ec.europa.eu | |
Link to the submission | ec.europa.eu |
Call content
Call objectives | Main environmental concerns in the Arctic stem from the loss of pristine environment and unique ecosystems. On one hand, ice melting allows for more people and economic activities to enter the area, and on the other hand, transboundary pollution brings into the Arctic contaminants whose sources are thousands of kilometres away. Arctic economic development is associated with a high risk of air and marine pollution, particularly from oil spills, local mining, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), heavy metals, radioactive substances, marine litter and plastics. Pollution from Arctic shipping and tourism relying on heavy diesel fuels induce greater ice melting pack and have negative effects on marine life. Pollutants from local and distant sources are taken up by organisms and incorporated into polar food webs, jeopardizing human and environmental health. Another threat to the Arctic environment is the growing prevalence of marine litter, and specifically plastic pollution. High concentrations of microplastic particles have been detected in Arctic ice, with a good deal of it suspected to have originated outside of the region. Moreover, the share of MPA coverage in Arctic water (see for example the OSPAR Convention area) is particularly low. Thawing permafrost brings in additional risks for pollution, from releasing pathogens to infrastructure degradation and failure. Combined, these drivers create a mosaic of multiple and mutually reinforcing anthropogenic stressors acting on the unique and highly vulnerable Arctic ecosystem. Proposals should aim at developing innovative approaches to address only one of the following options:
For both options, proposals should focus on an improved quantification of these effects and explore pathways to minimise risks and should be linked with state-of-the-art climate change predictions coupled with socio-economic models; assess the ecosystems' responses to risk factors and how these responses are affecting the well-being of indigenous populations and local communities but also health of the environment, in a One Health approach; identify adaptation and mitigation strategies, aiming at building resilient Arctic socio-ecological systems. Proposals are expected to adopt a system thinking or transdisciplinary approach, with simultaneous analysis of environmental, societal, climatic and biodiversity impacts, their relationships and interlinkages, and positive and negative feedbacks. The participation of technical sciences, social sciences and humanities disciplines is important for addressing the complex challenges of this topic, as well as engaging local communities in the research process, as appropriate. International cooperation is encouraged, with a strong linkage with the ongoing activities under the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance and encouraging participation from countries that take part in the Arctic Science Ministerial meetings. Actions under this topic should plan on a close collaboration among each other and with the EU Polar Cluster. Actions should build upon and link with past Horizon 2020 projects (e.g., Nunataryuk and Arctic PASSION), EU Polarnet 2, Copernicus, Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON). Synergies and complementarities with HORIZON-CL5-2024-D1-01-02: Inland ice, including snow cover, glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost, and their interaction with climate change; HORIZON-CL6-2023-COMMUNITIES-11: Participation and empowerment of Arctic coastal, local, and indigenous communities in environmental decision-making; HORIZON-CL6-2023-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-2: Integrated assessment and monitoring of emerging pollutants, and activities under the Arctic-Atlantic Lighthouse of the EU Mission Restore our ocean and waters. read more |
Expected effects and impacts | In line with the European Green Deal’s zero pollution ambition, successful proposals should contribute to protecting Arctic ecosystems. They should analyse main pollution sources in a climate change context, and examine ways to prevent or eliminate pollutants, consequently protecting environmental and human health and the quality of aquatic ecosystems. This will contribute to the implementation of the new EU policy for a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic, to the follow-up of the 3rd Arctic Science ministerial meeting and to the work of the Arctic Council. |
Expected results |
read more |
Regions / countries for funding | EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Island (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), Morocco (المغرب), 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:
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:
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. Specific cases:
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding. |
other eligibility criteria | Activities are expected to achieve TRL 3-5 by the end of the project. For the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), the following definitions apply:
To ensure a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one project within the area A that is the highest ranked, and one project highest ranked within the area B, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. Proposals shall clearly indicate the area they are applying to. |
Additional information
Topics |
Agriculture & Forestry, Fishery, Food, Soil quality, Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management, Health, Social Services, Sports |
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 | All proposals 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. Proposals must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents, e.g. plan for the exploitation and dissemination of the results including communication activities, etc. The application form will have two parts:
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 45 pages. |
Call documents | HE-Work Programme 2023-2024, Cluster 6, Destination 4 (608kB) |
Contact | National Contact Points for Horizon Europe Website |
To see more information about this call, you can register for free here
or log in with an existing account.
Log in
Register now