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Call key data

EU-China international cooperation on improving monitoring for better integrated climate and biodiversity approaches, using environmental and Earth observation

Funding Program

Horizon Europe - Cluster 6 - Destination 5: Land, ocean and water for climate action

Call number

HORIZON-CL6-2024-CLIMATE-01-7

deadlines

Opening
17.10.2023

Deadline
22.02.2024 17:00

date - 2nd stage

Opening
23.10.2023

Funding rate

100%

Call budget

€ 5,000,000.00

Estimated EU contribution per project

€ 5,000,000.00

Link to the call

Link to the submission

Call content

short description

The successful proposal is aiming to improve terrestrial monitoring as well as maximising synergies with biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation, by using or acquiring environmental data, particularly geographically explicit data such as ground-based observation and remote sensed Earth observation data.

Call objectives

The EU and China face similar challenges as a result of climate change where it comes to biodiversity related aspects, while reaching climate neutrality will require critical contributions from terrestrial land, including through enhancing net carbon dioxide removals. Similar challenges could benefit from similar actions and defining best practices in improving monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems in order to design better approaches integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation, and biodiversity conservation.

The successful project should provide improvements in biodiversity monitoring infrastructures in support of integrated approaches able to deliver better synergies between mitigation, adaptation and conservation. Such integrated approaches can include a wide range of mitigation options, such as protection and restoring natural ecosystems, sustainable land management practices, sustainable forest and grassland management. Such options, based on a smart use of natural ecological processes and improved technologies, contribute to improving the quality, diversity and resilience of ecosystems, all of which have substantial benefits for biodiversity.

Most monitoring instruments for climate and biodiversity indicators on terrestrial land are carried out in a non-integrated manner and are based on statistical inventories without explicit geographical resolution. Earth observation (including satellite and near surface remote sensing as well as ground based methods), alongside analysis tools such as Geographic Information Systems, can be combined as multiple geographically-explicit data sets. Data acquisition, processing, cross-referencing and coherent integration on terrestrial land require substantial research and innovation investments.

Improving ground-based monitoring for better integrated approaches should assess or set up a strategy to assess the potential of natural and managed terrestrial ecosystems to contribute to:

  • climate mitigation, including enhancing net carbon removals,
  • climate adaptation, including resilience and disaster risk prevention, and
  • protection, conservation and restoration of biodiversity.

Improving existing monitoring, including through designing new datasets and methods to set up a geographically-explicit monitoring of climate and biodiversity aspects fits within the scope of this topic.

The successful proposal should contribute to a strengthened cooperation between the EU and China, also in the context of a better cooperation under the Group on Earth Observations initiatives, building on the climate and biodiversity monitoring networks in China and the EU.

This topic is part of the EU-China flagship initiative on Climate Change and Biodiversity, which will promote substantial coordinated and balanced cooperation between the EU and China and is within the scope of the Administrative Arrangement between the European Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China on a Co-funding Mechanism for the period 2021-2024 to support collaborative research projects under the Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies (FAB) and the Climate Change and Biodiversity (CCB) flagship initiatives.

The use of existing data and information coming from e.g. Copernicus and GEOSS is encouraged. Interaction with other actions developed under the EU-China Climate Change and Biodiversity (CCB) Research Flagship and/or the Flagship on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies is encouraged, as well as related topics within Cluster 5 and 6 and existing cooperation between the EU and China on land, including soils.

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Expected results

The successful proposal is aiming to improve terrestrial monitoring as well as maximising synergies with biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation, by using or acquiring environmental data, particularly geographically explicit data such as ground-based observation and remote sensed Earth observation data. This with a view to contribute to the objectives of climate-neutrality, adaptation to climate change and reversing biodiversity loss at global levels, with a focus on the EU and China. Synergetic solutions, including nature-based solutions such as the protection, the restoration and the sustainable management of terrestrial land, can contribute to enhancing carbon dioxide removals from the atmosphere, while reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience to climate change impacts, and contributing to biodiversity conservation and restoration.

The successful proposal will furthermore contribute to an advanced understanding of science to support integrated climate and biodiversity actions on natural and managed ecosystems and associated economic sectors. It will do so by advancing solutions for monitoring, assessment and projections to support decision-making in better integrated climate and biodiversity policies in terrestrial ecosystems generally.

The successful proposal is expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

  • Protect biodiversity and maximize synergetic benefits of biodiversity conservation, climate mitigation and adaptation based on both remote sensing and ground-based observation;
  • Development and exchange of best practices in using ground-based observation and Earth observation data and information, and establish standard and indicator system for biodiversity measurement for better integrated approaches in order to deliver increased synergies between mitigation, adaptation and conservation.
  • Geographically-explicit monitoring on regions that has been identified high biodiversity value and/or subject to biodiversity protection and restoration provisions due to high climate risk;
  • Strengthen scientific research in supporting of the synergies between the monitoring and reporting frameworks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, for better implementation and progress assessment of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

The use of existing data and information coming from e.g. Copernicus and GEOSS is encouraged. Interaction with other actions developed under the EU-China Climate Change and Biodiversity (CCB) Research Flagship and/or the Flagship on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies is encouraged, as well as related topics within Cluster 5 and 6 and existing cooperation between the EU and China on land, including soils.

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Eligibility Criteria

Regions / countries for funding

EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT)
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan), Belarus (Беларусь), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), Morocco (المغرب), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom

eligible entities

Education and training institution, International organization, 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
  • third 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.

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:

  • Affiliated entities — 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 — 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 without legal personality — 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.
  • EU bodies — Legal entities created under EU law including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
  • 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.

other eligibility criteria

In order to achieve the expected outcomes and to implement the Climate Change and Biodiversity Flagship in compliance with the provisions of the Administrative Arrangement between the European Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST), on a Co-funding Mechanism for the period 2021-2024 to support Collaborative Research and Innovation projects under the “Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies”, and the “Climate Change and Biodiversity” Joint Flagship Initiatives”, and in accordance with the requirements of the Inter-governmental Science and Technology Innovation (STI) Cooperation Special Programme of MOST:

  • Consortia must also include as associated partners at least three independent legal entities established in China; and
  • Legal entities established in China can only participate as associated partners; and
  • Chinese participants must be awarded co-funding by MOST. This condition will not be fulfilled if, at the time of grant agreement signature, the Chinese participants have not concluded a grant agreement with MOST.

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

Additional information

Topics

Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management, 
Digitalisation, Digital Society, ICT

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:

  • 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).


Grants awarded under this topic will be linked to the specific grants awarded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, China (MOST) to the Chinese partners. The respective options of the Model Grant Agreement will be applied. 


The limit for a full application (Part B) is 45 pages.

Contact

National Contact Points for Horizon Europe
Website

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