Mission Ocean and Waters and Mission A Soil Deal for Europe – Joint demonstration of approaches and solutions to address nutrient pollution in the landscape-river-sea system in the Mediterranean sea basin
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
Soils are essential for all life-sustaining processes in our planet. If they are healthy and managed sustainably, they provide many benefits to people, nature and climate. However, 60-70% of soils in Europe are in an unhealthy condition. The presence of nutrients in soil at concentrations higher than plant requirements not only reduces their capacity for providing their vital ecosystem services, but the nutrient runoff contaminates groundwater, streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes and seas, and increases the risk of water and ocean eutrophication. Addressing nutrient pollution is crucial to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, in particular in relation to nutrient losses in agriculture.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals should demonstrate scalable breakthrough innovations (technological, business, social and governance) in the landscape-river catchment-sea system, including coastal ecosystems, in the Mediterranean Sea basin addressing all following issues:
- Upstream prevention and reduction of nutrient (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) losses from soil, and of soil and water pollution from excess nutrients, such as through reduction in the use of traditional/mineral fertilisers and/or their sustainable substitution with bio-based fertilisers, improved nutrient retention in soil and slower release to crops, improved nutrient use efficiency, integrated landscape and soil management, reduction of nutrient losses from rural and urban communities;
- Prevention of entry of nutrients in river catchment areas and their reduction, for example through improved wastewater treatment, use of green filters and other measures for reducing the flow of nutrients through the river system and prevention and reduction of their entry into the estuary/sea;
- Measures to reduce/eliminate excess nutrients in/from the estuary/sea to reduce or eliminate the risk of eutrophication.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
As a mechanism to provide knowledge transfer and technical assistance to the associated regions, the selected projects may provide support to third parties in the form of grants. The maximum amount of the envisaged Financial Support to Third Parties is €100 000 per third party 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. An associated region shall benefit from the Financial Support to Third Parties provided under this topic only once.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Environment and Climate Change
- Land Development
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Central Government
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- Local Authorities
- Local Authority clusters
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Semi-governmental organisations
- State-owned Enterprises
- Trade Unions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The consortium must carry out demonstration activities in 3 different Member States or Associated Countries of the Mediterranean basin, involving and including in the consortium partners from these respective countries. The demonstrations should be carried out at the level of territorial units, such as a rural area, an urban community, a region, a river basin or an estuary, to show effectiveness of the demonstrated solutions.
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 Person:
Myrto Anastasiadou
Scientific Officer
Email: manastassiadou@research.org.cy
(Publish Date: 20/01/2023-for internal use only)