Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Sediments, a key component of river ecosystems, provide habitats to many aquatic organisms, regulate the morphology and shape of river basin and provide key ecosystem services. Effective sediment management at a river basin scale requires trans-national, cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach. Moreover, sediment management accounts for the different demands on sediments; it considers relevant protection aspects and multiple uses of a river and its floodplain (also diverging use interests, conflicts).
The proposals should focus on the demonstration of sustainable and effective solutions for sediment management at river basin scale, including solutions for restoration of sediment balance and flow in the Danube river-Black sea system and measures to improve sediment quality. The demonstration activities should entail a holistic approach to sediment management, involving all relevant actors at a transnational/national scale and across relevant sectors, such as ICPDR, relevant national authorities, riparian communities as well as concerned economic actors.
These demonstration activities should appropriately combine sediment management measures focused on sediment flow quantity such as:
The measures should be adjusted to the needs of a specific river section, reservoir or embankment area and ensure a long-term sustainability of sediment flow, also improving the good ecological status and ecosystem services provided by key river ecosystems and habitats, including wetlands and protection of biodiversity. Nature based solutions and building with nature should be prioritised. Use of satellite-based remote sensing is encouraged to complement more traditional approaches on effectiveness assessment of the chosen measures and solutions.
Proposals must:
The projects should include impact monitoring of the activities affecting sediment flow within the Danube river basin and into the Black sea, based on and in cooperation with the ICPDR sediments monitoring system set up through previous projects such as SIMONA and in cooperation with the national water/river management authorities concerned and relevant European Research Infrastructures. In addition, the project will monitor the impacts and effectiveness of demonstration activities at a local scale.
Proposals are expected to work with and engage at least 5 ‘associated regions’ to showcase the feasibility, replicability and scalability of the solutions developed within the projects in other areas.
‘Associated regions’ :are understood as areas with ecosystems that can benefit from the demonstration activities (e.g. neighbouring regions and/or regions in a different sea basin) and/or less-developed regions, with the need to build capacity to implement the innovative solutions to improve management of sediments in a river basin.
The proposals should ensure that the ‘associated regions’ are located in Member States/Associated countries other than those that are part of the project consortium.
The involvement of ‘associated regions’ that have not yet participated in Mission projects is encouraged. (Further details in the Funding & Tenders portal).
The maximum amount of Financial Support to Third Parties is €100 000 per ‘associated region’ for the entire duration of the action. Proposals should outline the selection process of the third parties to which financial support would be granted based on principles of transparency, objectivity and fairness.
70%
EU Contribution per project: €8.50 million
The proposals are expected to integrate actions to support the social and economic transitions towards sustainable, inclusive and long term management of the restored and protected ecosystems, including natural, social, economic and cultural elements and business models for generating revenue from the restored and protected ecosystems and involve for that purpose: local business communities, in particular SMEs, investors and other business stakeholders.
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Person:
Myrto Anastasiadou
Scientific Officer
Email: manastassiadou@research.org.cy
(Publish Date: 20/02/2023-for internal use only)