Calls of Cluster 6 to overcome barriers and deliver solutions to enable the green transition under the Horizon Europe programme. Successful projects are expected to address barriers to adopting new knowledge and innovation for the green transition, proposing pathways and facilitating the deployment of solutions for improved adoption by stakeholders and decision makers.

Deadline: 25 June and 24 September 2024 (depending on the call)

Destination – Fair, healthy and environment-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption

Call – Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption

National, EU and global food systems are facing sustainability challenges, from primary production to consumption that could jeopardise food and nutrition security. The farm to fork strategy, and its follow-up initiatives, aim to address these challenges and supports transition to more resilient and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable food systems on land and at sea that provide healthy diets for all and respect planetary boundaries. Research and innovation (R&I) under this destination will steer and accelerate the transition to sustainable, safe, healthy and inclusive food systems from farm to fork, ensuring food and nutrition security for all and delivering co-benefits for the environment, health, society and economy.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-03-1: Spotlight on plant priority pest: fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)

Type of Action: RIA (expected one project to be funded with a budget of 5 M€)

Expected Outcome: A successful proposal should support the farm to fork strategy to transition to fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food systems from primary production to consumption, notably the target to reduce by 50% the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides and reduce the use by 50% of the more hazardous pesticides and the biodiversity strategy. Activities will support Regulation (EU) 2016/2031222 on protective measures against pests of plants and Regulation (EU) 2023/1134223 on measures to prevent the introduction into, establishment and spread within the Union territory of Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith).

Destination – Land, ocean and water for climate action

Call – Land, ocean and water for climate action

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing carbon sinks in primary production and natural systems as well as in harvested wood products and other carbon storage products are key components of the European Green Deal. Achieving sustainable ocean, water and land management, and using natural resources efficiently to help mitigate climate change implies finding the right balance between productivity, climate, biodiversity and environmental goals in the agriculture and forestry sectors, with a long-term perspective. R&I activities will support solutions for climate and environmentally friendly practices to reduce emissions of major greenhouse gases, other pollutants and the environmental impact of ocean and land use changes and agricultural activities. R&I will rely on the application of digital technologies where relevant.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-CLIMATE-02-1: New knowledge and innovations for climate-smart farming – connecting research stations

Type of Action: RIA (expected one project to be funded with a budget of 12 M€)

Expected Outcome: The EU Green Deal gives research and innovation a significant role to play in supporting the design and implementation of policies that will ensure the achievement of the EU’s climate objectives. Development and adoption of new knowledge and innovations contributing to climate change mitigation by farmers is a priority to ensure that the objectives of the European Climate Law (climate-neutrality by 2050), the EU zero pollution ambition and the proposal for a nature restoration law are met. Farming is also vulnerable to impacts of climate change; hence research and innovation into the adaptation possibilities is of utmost importance, in line with the EU Adaptation Strategy. Generating new knowledge and innovative climate-smart practices and mainstreaming their use has been recognised as a priority at the global level, including by the G-20. The project to be implemented is, therefore, expected to conduct research and innovation activities for climate-smart agriculture that contributes to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-CLIMATE-02-2: Closing the research gaps on Essential Biogeochemical Ocean Variables (EOVs) in support of global assessments

Type of Action: IA (expected one project to be funded with a budget of 5 M€)

Expected Outcome: In line with the European Green Deal and, in particular its climate and biodiversity objectives, successful proposals should advance the scientific understanding to support adaptation and resilience policies of natural and managed ecosystems, to efficiently monitor, assess and project the impacts and effects of climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies, and to support decision-making and the delivery of solutions for tackling emerging threats at regional, European and global levels.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-CLIMATE-02-3: Overcoming barriers and delivering innovative solutions to enable the green transition

Type of Action: RIA (expected three projects to be funded, each with a budget of 3-4 M€)

Expected Outcome: In the context of the EU Green Deal and related policies, there is the need to speed up the green transition, including under the sectors covered by Cluster 6. Nevertheless, several socio-economic barriers impede the deployment of solutions aimed at facilitating such transition.

Destination – Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal

Call – Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal

Taking advantage of the use, uptake, and deployment of environmental observations as well as digital and data-based green solutions, assessed through the European Green Deal’s ‘do no harm’ principle, is key for innovative governance models and for designing, implementing and monitoring science-based policy. To maximise impacts of R&I on the ground and spark behavioural and socio-economic change, the knowledge and innovation produced throughout the whole cluster should be widely disseminated to and exchanged between the key stakeholders and end users. In particular, the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) need to be strengthened in line with the 2023-2027 CAP to accelerate the required transformative changes.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-GOVERNANCE-02-01: European Partnership of Agriculture of Data

Type of Action: Programme Co-fund Action (expected one project to be funded with a budget of 30 M€; the funding rate is maximum 30% of the eligible costs)

Expected Outcome: This partnership aims to enhance climate, environmental and socioeconomic sustainability, and productivity of agriculture and to strengthen policy monitoring and evaluation capacities through exploiting the potential of Earth and environmental observation and other data, in combination with innovative data technologies.

More information and applications can be found in the EU Funding & Tender Portal (the link for each topic is in the body of the current text). If you want to apply you should analise the abstracts of awarded applications (in your research area) and watch the videos of info sessions organized by the European Commission.

If you are considering to apply, please get in touch with us (cesam-gesciencia@ua.pt).