Launch of Horizon Europe Work Programme (2021-2022)

News
16 June 2021

Guest article from Tiago Freitas, European Commission, DG Research and Innovation

The first Work Programme (2021-2022) of Horizon Europe has been published.

Cluster 6 (Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment) includes many Research and Innovation funding opportunities in the area of Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions (NBS). In particular, Destination “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services”, includes more than 30 topics covering research on biodiversity, ecosystem services, NBS and transformative change, and integrating research into biodiversity policy making and implementation. Furthermore, Destination “Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities” includes three topics on NBS: educational innovation with NBS; assessing the socio-politics of NBS; and developing nature-based therapy.

Save the date for the first Info Days (7-8 July) and Brokerage event (9 July)  under Horizon Europe - Cluster 6: Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment.

Watch the EC press point by Commissioner Mariya GABRIEL on the Publication of Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-22

Topics of particular interest to the biodiversity research community are listed below although in the context of the biodiversity crisis there are many other areas of the work programme that should be considered.

Cluster 6: Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment

Destination “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services”

2021

  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-01: European participation in global biodiversity genomics endeavours aimed at identifying all biodiversity on Earth
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-02: Data and technologies for the inventory, fast identification and monitoring of endangered wildlife and other species groups
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-03: Understanding and valuing coastal and marine biodiversity and ecosystems services
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-04: Assess and predict integrated impacts of cumulative direct and indirect stressors on coastal and marine biodiversity, ecosystems and their services
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-05: The economics of nature-based solutions: cost-benefit analysis, market development and funding
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-06: Nature-based solutions, prevention and reduction of risks and the insurance sector
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-07: Ecosystems and their services for an evidence-based policy and decision-making
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-08: Supporting the development of a coherent and resilient Trans-European Nature Network
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-09: Assessing and consolidating recent scientific advances on freshwater ecosystem restoration
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-10: Demonstration of measures and management for coastal and marine ecosystems restoration and resilience in simplified socio-ecological systems
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-11: What else is out there? Exploring the connection between biodiversity, ecosystems services, pandemics and epidemic risk
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-12: Improved science based maritime spatial planning and identification of marine protected areas
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-15: Quantify impacts of the trade in raw and processed biomass on ecosystems, for offering new leverage points for biodiversity conservation, along supply chains, to reduce leakage effects
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-16: Biodiversity, water, food, energy, transport, climate and health nexus in the context of transformative change
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-17: Policy mixes, governance (including financing) and decision-making tools for transformative action for biodiversity       
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-18: Understanding the impacts of and the opportunities offered by digital transformation, new emerging technologies and social innovation with respect to biodiversity
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-19: European Partnership Rescuing Biodiversity to Safeguard Life on Earth
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-20: A mechanism for science to inform implementation, monitoring, review and ratcheting up of the new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (“Science Service”)
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-21: Support to processes triggered by IPBES and IPCC 
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-22: Impact and dependence of business on biodiversity

2022

  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-01: Observing and mapping biodiversity and ecosystems, with particular focus on coastal and marine ecosystems        
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-02: Building taxonomic research capacity near biodiversity hotspots and for protected areas by networking natural history museums and other taxonomic facilities             
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-03: Network for nature: multi-stakeholder dialogue platform to promote nature-based solutions
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-04: Natural capital accounting: Measuring the biodiversity footprint of products and organizations
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-05: Intercropping – understanding and using the benefits of complexity in farming and value chains
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-06: Monitoring and effective measures for agrobiodiversity
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-07: Protection and sustainable management of forest genetic resources of high interest for biodiversity, climate change adaptation, and forest reproductive materials
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-08: Assessing the nexus of extraction, production, consumption, trade and behaviour patterns and of climate change action on biodiversity in the context of transformative change
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-09: Understanding the role of behaviour, gender specifics, lifestyle, religious and cultural values, and addressing the role of enabling players (civil society, policy makers, financing and business leaders, retailers) in decision making
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01-10: Cooperation with the Convention on Biological Diversity
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-02-01-two-stage: Maintaining and restoring pollinators and pollination services in European agricultural landscapes

Destination "Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities"

  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-COMMUNITIES-01-06: Inside and outside: educational innovation with nature-based solutions
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01-05: Assessing the socio-politics of naturebased solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-02-02-two-stage: Developing nature-based therapy for health and well-being

Other Destinations

  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-CLIMATE-01-05: Agroecological approaches for climate change mitigation, resilient agricultural production and enhanced biodiversity
  • HORIZON-CL6-2021-CLIMATE-01-08: Agroforestry to meet climate, biodiversity and farming sustainability goals
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-02-01-two-stage: Agroecological approaches for sustainable weed management
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-03: EU-China international cooperation on nature-based solutions for nutrient management in agriculture
  • HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01-03: Integration of marine ecosystem service valuation, conservation and restoration in socio-economic models

Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility

  • HORIZON-CL5-2021-D1-01-08: Restoration of natural wetlands, peatlands and floodplains as a strategy for fast mitigation benefits; pathways, trade-offs and co-benefits   
  • HORIZON-CL5-2022-D1-01-03-two-stage: Social science for land-use strategies in the context of climate change and biodiversity challenges
  • HORIZON-CL5-2022-D1-02-05: Let nature help do the job: Rewilding landscapes for carbon sequestration, climate adaptation and biodiversity support

Cluster 5 Work Programme