EU-China international cooperation on improving monitoring for better integrated climate and biodiversity approaches, using environmental and Earth observation
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
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.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
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.
Detailed Call Description
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.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
EU Contribution per project: €5.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- International Organisations
- Investment Funds
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
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).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
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 Persons:
Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy
Dr. Mary Economou
Scientific Officer
Email: meconomou@research.org.cy
EU Contact Point
European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/research-and-innovation_en#contact