Horizon Europe - Cluster 6 - Destination 4: Clean Environment and Zero Pollution

Parent program	Horizon Europe
Link to the program	ec.europa.eu

Content of program

short description

The goal of research, development and innovation in Cluster 6 is to expand knowledge, build capacity and develop innovative solutions in these relevant areas. This includes, above all, the transition to a sustainable circular economy and the use of natural resources, as well as food security for all.

In line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the 2030 Climate Target Plan, and other relevant EU legislation this destination seeks to halt and prevent pollution by focussing the work programme 2021-2022 on fresh and marine waters, soils, air, including from nitrogen and phosphorus emissions, as well as on the environmental performance and sustainability of processes in the bio-based systems.

program objectives

This cluster aims at reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, inland waters and sea and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society in both urban and rural areas.

It will ensure food and nutrition security for all within planetary boundaries through knowledge, innovation and digitalisation in agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and food systems and steer and accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy, including forestry.

Areas of intervention

environmental observation
biodiversity and natural resources
agriculture, forestry and rural areas
seas, oceans and inland waters
food systems
bio-based innovation systems in the EU's bioeconomy
circular systems

Expected effects and impacts

Pollution must be halted and eliminated to guarantee clean and healthy soils, air, fresh and marine water for all. To reach this objective, it will be paramount to advance the knowledge of pollution sources and pathways to enable preventive measures, improve monitoring and control, apply planetary boundaries in practice and introduce effective remediation methods.

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contribute to the aforementioned goal to achieve a clean environment and zero pollution, and more specifically to one or several of the following impacts:

Advanced understanding of diffuse and point sources of water pollution in a global and climate change context, enabling novel solutions to protect water bodies, aquatic ecosystems and soil functionality, and further enhancing water quality and its management for safe human and ecological use, while fostering the EU’s and Associated Countries’ position and role in the global water scene.
Balanced N/P flows well within safe ecological boundaries at EU and Associated Countries, regional and local scale, contribute to restoring ecosystems.
Clean, unpolluted seas in the EU and Associated Countries as a result of successful behavioural, social-economic, demographic, governance and green-blue transitions.
Circular bio-based systems reversing climate change, restoring biodiversity and protecting air, water and soil quality along supply chain of biological feedstock and industrial value chains, within the EU and Associated Countries and across borders.
Innovative biotechnology creating zero-pollution bio-based solutions.

Regions / countries for funding	Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), EU Member States 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 Partners	Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), International organization, Education and training institution, Other, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Research Institution incl. University
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.

Additional information

Topics	Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation, Agriculture & Forestry, Fishery, Food, Soil quality, Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management
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)
Program documents	HE-Work Programme 2023-2024, Cluster 6, Destination 4 (1287kB)
Contact	National Contact Points for Horizon Europe Website