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
This topic contributes to the objectives and targets of the EU Soil Strategy which foresees that by 2050, all soils in the EU should be healthy, i.e. are in good chemical, physical and biological conditions, and thus able to continuously provide as many ecosystem services as possible. It also contributes to the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ , in particular to its specific objective 6 “Improve soil structure to enhance habitat quality for soil biota and crops”.
Project results should contribute to all of the following outcomes:
- Significantly improved understanding of ecosystem services related to soil biodiversity as well as of the role of soil biodiversity in the provision of relevant soil functions and ecosystem services.
- Enhanced protection, sustainable management and restoration of soil ecosystems through more targeted (policy) incentives and wide-spread knowledge on sustainable soil management practices and solutions, including a better integration of soil within land use planning and frameworks to evaluate ecosystem services.
- Significantly improved availability of soil biodiversity indicators which support the implementation, assessment and monitoring of policy at large scale (i.e. EU).
Detailed Call Description
Soils underpin the delivery of a range of ecosystem services which are essential for the environmental, social and economic wellbeing of people. Many of these services such as the production of biomass for food and other uses, removal of pollutants, support of aboveground biodiversity (e.g. farmland birds), provision of soil structure, nutrient cycling and carbon storage depend on the activities of a fascinating and complex network of soil organisms such as insects, invertebrates, bacterial and fungal organisms.
While our knowledge about individual components of soil biodiversity has significantly increased, the links between soil biodiversity, the multifunctionality of soils and the delivery
of ecosystem services needs to be further explored. Furthermore, there is still a need to better understand the overall organisation of soil organisms (e.g. in terms of abundance, species richness, relationships of interdependence, evolution through time and community structure) and how pressures and drivers (including their interactions) resulting from different forms of land use and climate change affect the composition, functions, resilience and adaptation capacities of soil biota and their capacity to support multiple ecosystem services (ES).
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 8.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Energy
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- International Organisations
- Large Enterprises
- Legal Entities
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia
P.O.Box 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Phone Number: +357 22205000
Email Address: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Person:
Myrto Anastassiadou
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 069
Contact Email: manastassiadou@research.org.cy