Adaptation to Climate Change: Effectiveness and Limits

The HORIZON-CL5 grant opportunity, titled "Adaptation to Climate Change: Effectiveness and Limits," is part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically under Cluster 5. This call focuses on funding research and innovation actions aimed at enhancing the understanding of climate adaptation strategies, particularly their effectiveness and limitations. It employs a two-stage submission process, with the opening date for applications set for May 6, 2025. The first stage deadline is September 4, 2025, and the second stage deadline is March 31, 2026. The total budget for this initiative is approximately €18 million, with an intention to fund about three projects, each receiving around €6 million. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large businesses, and nonprofit organizations involved in climate science and adaptation. Projects funded under this call should develop and test methodologies to assess adaptation strategies comprehensively. These methodologies must account for a variety of factors, including economic, technological, legal, institutional, socio-cultural, geophysical, environmental, and nature-based solutions. The emphasis is on generating assessments based on both qualitative and quantitative evidence, aimed at informing and guiding policy makers in selecting and prioritizing adaptation strategies. A notable requirement for this grant is the establishment of a common core methodology by the funded projects. Each proposal should dedicate 15 to 25% of its budget for collaborative efforts to ensure consistency in the overall approach. Deliverables include a joint action plan and a common methodology, with specific timelines outlined for their development. Success rates for this funding opportunity are expected to range between 10% and 39%, reflecting the competitive nature of the grant process. Co-funding is not explicitly mandated but is encouraged through synergies with other EU and national funds. The call requires adherence to the FAIR principles regarding transparency and data management. Overall, the aim of this grant is to foster interdisciplinary research that enhances the resilience of regions vulnerable to climate change and to equip practitioners and decision-makers with tools to adjust adaptation strategies effectively. This initiative aligns with broader EU objectives to combat climate change through robust, innovative solutions that consider a wide range of socio-economic aspects.

The scope of the call focuses on assessing the effectiveness and limits of climate change adaptation measures, addressing the current limitations in scientific evidence and the challenges in defining and measuring adaptation effectiveness. Projects should generate assessments based on quantitative and qualitative evidence, using methodologically sound and replicable approaches. These assessments should consider economic, technological, legal, institutional, socio-cultural, geophysical, and environmental aspects, as well as cross-cutting criteria such as contribution to mitigation, use of nature-based solutions, feasibility, ambition level, and contribution to equity and justice.

Actions should evaluate adaptation effectiveness and limits as a function of time and for a comprehensive range of warming rates, considering the changing variability patterns. Projects should address the following aspects: understanding the drivers of adaptation effectiveness and limits, developing a robust methodology for consistent assessment and comparability, synthesizing observational and modeling data, including a comprehensive set of measurements and indicators, and testing the methodology to evaluate adaptation strategies and inform the timeline of adaptation limits.

A key requirement is the joint development of a common core methodology among all funded projects, with proposals including a draft plan for joint actions and dedicating 15 to 25% of their budget to collaborate with other projects. Deliverables include a joint action plan (months 6-12) and a common part of the methodology (month 24). The methodology should be extended by individual projects to address EU regional and sectoral contexts, building on existing data and approaches from sources like Copernicus, GAMI, EUCRA, and WASP.

The call emphasizes transparency, openness, and management in compliance with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). It requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and encourages clustering activities with other relevant projects and participation in the Mission Community of Practice of the Mission Climate Adaptation.

Admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligible conditions specify the use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based data.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are detailed in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, and the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex D, Annex F, and Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual, respectively.

Legal and financial aspects of the grants require a collaboration agreement between awarded projects and the submission of a joint action plan (months 6-12) and a common methodology (month 24), as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Application forms are available in the Submission System, including standard forms for HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, and COFUND actions. Evaluation form templates will be adapted as necessary. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide and Model Grant Agreements (MGA). Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2023-2025, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

The call encourages partner searches and provides access to the Electronic Submission Service via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Support resources include the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks research and innovation actions to improve the understanding and assessment of climate change adaptation effectiveness and limits. It emphasizes the development of robust methodologies, collaboration among funded projects, and the integration of social sciences and humanities. The call aims to provide practical tools and knowledge for policy makers and practitioners to enhance adaptation strategies and resilience in the face of climate change. The two-stage submission process allows for an initial screening of proposals, with successful applicants proceeding to a more detailed second stage. The significant budget and collaborative requirements indicate the importance and complexity of the research expected.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL5, aims to fund research and innovation actions focused on "Adaptation to Climate Change: Effectiveness and Limits." The call seeks to improve the understanding of factors driving climate change adaptation limits and effectiveness, enabling policymakers to select and prioritize adaptation strategies. Projects should develop robust methodologies for assessing adaptation options, considering economic, technological, legal, institutional, socio-cultural, geophysical, and environmental aspects. The call encourages collaboration with the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and participation in the Mission Community of Practice.

The total budget is €18 million, with an expected three projects to be funded, each receiving approximately €6 million. The call is a two-stage process, with deadlines in September 2025 and March 2026. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations, including universities, research institutes, SMEs, and large enterprises, from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The projects are expected to contribute to the work of the IPCC and provide usable knowledge for practitioners and decision-makers. A key requirement is that funded projects must collaborate to develop a common core methodology for assessing adaptation effectiveness, setting aside 15 to 25% of their budget for this collaborative effort.