As part of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme, there are two open calls under the EU Mission “Restore our ocean and waters”. This Mission aims to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement, and blue investments. The Mission addresses the water system as a whole, with measurable and quantifiable goals for restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, zero pollution, decarbonisation and emissions reductions. The open calls are single-stage.
Deadline: 18 September 2024
Call: Actions for the implementation of the Mission Restore our ocean and waters by 2030, with the 5 Topics:
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-01 – European Blue Parks – Offshore marine protected areas
Type of action: IA*
Projects expected to be approved: 1 project, with a budget of ca. 11.1 M€
Expected outcomes: i) Definition of clear science-based conservation objectives and conservation measures that contribute to the restoration and protection of marine ecosystems and to effective management of protected areas; ii) Evidence for effective decision-making process at Member States and Associated Countries level to ensure sustainable management of offshore marine protected areas; iii) Contribution to policy development and implementation linked to protecting and restoring marine biodiversity and ecosystems; iv) New offshore marine protected areas proposed and/or established; v) Improved knowledge about offshore marine ecosystems (including deep sea ecosystems)and biodiversity in view of protection and conservation demo activities; vi) Enhancement of the provision of ecosystem services compatible with the protection and restoration of the offshore ecosystems, leading to sustainable and scalable business models; vii) Active support to the Mission’s Digital Ocean and Water Knowledge system through advances in biological, ecosystem and socio-economic knowledge applied to restoration and conservation; viii) Active support to the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework; ix) Reinforced EU leadership in international efforts for marine protection, in line with the EU key priorities and international commitments.
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-02 – Danube river basin lighthouse – Protection and restoration of migratory fish habitats
Type of action: IA*
Projects expected to be approved: 2 projects, with a budget of ca. 7.8 M€ each
Expected outcome: The implementation of the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy, the Water Framework and Habitat Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and policies that concern freshwater ecosystem protection, in particular to the implementation of the Updated River Basin Management Plan for Danube 2021.
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-03 – Atlantic and Arctic sea basin lighthouse, Mediterranean Sea basin lighthouse, Baltic and North Sea basin lighthouse – Reducing the environmental impacts of fisheries on marine species and habitats
Type of action: IA*
Projects expected to be approved: 2 projects, with a budget of ca. 8.0 M€ each
Expected outcomes: i) Reduced, and where possible elimination of incidental catches of sensitive species and juvenile fish as well as reduced discard and damage to catch, for an accelerated transition towards more sustainable and economically viable fishing practices; ii) Improved effective mitigation measures to protect either or both sensitive species and juvenile fish as well as their habitats; iii) Enhanced knowledge related to incidental catches of both sensitive species, juvenile fish, including spawning grounds, locations of nursery areas as well as recruitment processes; iv) Increased value of seafood-products from sustainable fisheries, e.g. through ecolabelling schemes sustainable certification schemes, etc.
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-04 – Science for Community – Building the marine Citizen Science data network of the future to valorise data coming from the ocean and increase engagement
Type of action: CSA*
Projects expected to be approved: 1 project, with a budget of ca. 2.0 M€
Expected outcomes: i) Establishment of a pan-European Marine Citizen Science data network, bringing together actors of marine citizen science around Europe and in neighbouring countries; ii) Adaptation of data and metadata standards and methodological approaches appropriate for use in marine citizen science based on the existing European frameworks, as developed by SeaDataNet, EMODnet and other marine data infrastructures; iii) Increased visibility and impact of Marine Citizen Science activities in Europe; iv) Sharing of good practices on marine citizen science information and data consumption.
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-05 – Our Blue Future – Co-designing a future vision of a restored ocean and water system in the EU by 2030 and 2050
Type of action: IA*
Projects expected to be approved: 1 project, with a budget of ca. 3.0 M€
Expected outcomes: i) Increased confidence in and support for the transitions required by the European Green Deal, by co-designing possible science-based transition scenarios for reaching the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters objectives and related EU climate, biodiversity and pollution targets, including environmental, social, economic and political considerations; ii) Support progress in restoring our ocean and waters, in adapting to climate change, reversing biodiversity loss and pollution, by co-designing inspiring narratives that stimulate effective action by policy-makers, citizens and stakeholders, and by identifying the pathways that are necessary to realise them; iii) Increased awareness of decision-makers, stakeholders and citizens, including students, through structured science-policy interfaces, in relation to the urgency of the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises and the central role of restoring the entire water system to address these crises; and iv) National, regional and local decision-makers in planning decisions are taking measures to protect and restore their ocean, coastal and water spaces and ecosystems.
Call: Support to communities of actors for the Mission Restore our ocean and waters by 2030, with 2 Topics:
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01 – Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters
Type of action: RIA*
Projects expected to be approved: 4 projects, with a budget of ca. 12.5 M€ each
Expected outcomes: i) Demonstration of measurable, verifiable and ambitious progress towards reaching one or several interlinked objectives and targets of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, as set out in the Mission Implementation Plan through implementation of effective and well-managed community-led pilot actions and other types of support to Mission communities of actors; ii) A concrete contribution to support Member States/Associated countries, their national, regional and/or local authorities, as well as all concerned stakeholders, to implement EU legislation related to marine and freshwater ecosystems and reach the biodiversity, pollution and climate targets of the European Green Deal; iii) Mobilised and engaged Mission communities of actors (regions, ports, cities, islands, etc.) through effective support designed to accelerate the progress to achieve the Mission objectives and targets; iv)
Leveraging of resources and investments from communities of actors to restore our ocean, seas and waters; v) Increased readiness at local level to deploy at scale innovative solutions to restore the ocean, seas and waters.
HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-02 – Support for the Coalition of waterfront cities, regions and islands for Mission Ocean and Waters
Type of action: CSA*
Projects expected to be approved: 1 project, with a budget of ca. 4.0 M€
Expected outcomes: i) A broad, highly impactful Coalition of waterfront cities (including their ports), regions and islands, that protects and restores marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity; prevents and eliminates pollution of our ocean, seas and waters; makes the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular; and strengthens resilience against extreme climate events, sea-level rise and floods; ii) Actions and initiatives aiming to achieve the Mission objectives across waterfront cities, regions and islands designed and implemented by the Coalition; iii) Further structuring and consolidation of the Mission communities of actors addressing the three interconnected Mission objectives and targets; iv) Wide citizen and stakeholder engagement at regional and local levels, as well as political and social acceptance of actions addressing restoration of the health of the ocean, seas and waters; v) Strong cooperation with various institutions, organisations and initiatives relevant for the protection of the ocean, seas, and waters, and better access to EU and Member State, and private funds.
More information and applications can be found in the EU Funding & Tender Portal (link indicated in each call). If you want to apply you should analyse the abstracts of awarded applications (in your research area) and watch the video of the info session about this Mission and cross-cutting activities organized by the European Commission.
If you are considering to apply, please get in touch with us (cesam-gesciencia@ua.pt).
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Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs): include activities of ‘testing’, ‘demonstrating’ and ‘piloting’. These activities aim to establish new knowledge or to explore the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product, process, service, or solution. These may include basic and applied research, technology development and integration, testing, demonstration, and validation on a small-scale prototype, in a laboratory or simulated environment.
Innovation Actions (IAs): include activities of ‘testing’, ‘demonstrating’ and ‘piloting’ and also aim at scaling up activities from prototype, in a (near to) operational environment, industrial or otherwise, to large-scale product validation and market replication.
Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs): address needs to i) structure stakeholder communities; ii) support dissemination and exploitation of research or innovation projects; iii) exploit synergies of scale among projects; iv) raise awareness in specific areas; v) support technological visions (e.g. road-mapping, user cases, etc.) and outreach (e.g. events, publications, etc.); vi) promote international cooperation with specific regions and/or technological areas for any of the above-mentioned activities; vii) undertake other activities similar in nature to those above (i.e., this is not an exhaustive list).