Digital twins and/or their major components for environment, climate and security

Overview

The Horizon Europe call titled "Digital twins and/or their major components for environment, climate and security" is identified as HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02, part of the Research Infrastructures 2026 program. It aims to advance European resilience and preparedness regarding climate change and security challenges, with substantial funding available between €5 million and €7.5 million per project, totaling €15 million for the topic.

The call is targeted at research-intensive organizations, including universities, research institutions, public research organizations, and public-private partnerships, requiring a multi-partner consortium structure. The application process is single-stage, with submissions opening on March 10, 2026, and closing on June 16, 2026.

Eligible applicants from EU member states and associated countries can participate, while non-EU participants may be included under specific conditions. The focus is on sectors like climate action, environment, security, and disaster risk reduction, promoting the integration of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data analytics into project initiatives.

Projects are expected to be at the research and innovation stage, developing Minimum Viable Products in at least three application areas and focusing on local and regional contexts. The funding model is a lump sum grant, simplifying financial management. Proposals must align with the EU's AI Continent Action Plan and demonstrate pathways to integrate with the Destination Earth initiative. Key project features should include developing advanced digital twin systems, ethical AI use, and collaborative engagement with relevant European institutions and existing services.

Success rates for this call are not specified, but historical data suggests a range of 10 to 39% for Horizon Europe initiatives. Co-funding is not explicitly mandated, though partnerships with member states or private entities are encouraged. This funding opportunity reflects the EU's commitment to enhancing disaster resilience and managing risks associated with climate change through innovative digital technologies.

Detail

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals focusing on digital twins and their major components for environment, climate, and security. The call falls under the Research Infrastructures 2026 program (HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01) and aims to improve security and preparedness in the Union, foster a more disaster-resilient society, and enhance the capacity of decision-makers to anticipate and mitigate risks related to climate change, environment, and security. It also seeks to further develop the data lab infrastructure around Destination Earth, aligning with the AI Continent Action Plan.

The call specifically targets HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) projects utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] funding mechanism. It follows a single-stage submission model with a planned opening date of March 10, 2026, and a deadline of June 16, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The scope of the call emphasizes the development of high-accuracy and fast-response digital twins at local and regional levels to strengthen preparedness and resilience, protect EU citizens, and raise risk awareness. Impact sectors beyond climate and environment include natural or human-induced disasters, health emergencies, energy sustainability, migration, and resource scarcity. Proposed solutions should cover risk mitigation, prevention, and foresight, leveraging the Destination Earth system capabilities with a focus on local and/or regional models in Europe and its neighborhood.

Projects should benefit from advances in modeling, observations, data fusion, AI, machine learning, processing, and visualization. Proposals should develop new digital twins or major components to strengthen foresight capabilities in short, medium, and long-term scenarios. They should demonstrate usability through Minimum Viable Products (MVP) in at least three application areas linking climate, environment, and security, involving real users.

Key aspects to be covered in proposals include:

Development of digital twins for environment, climate and security.
Demonstrated usability through Minimum Viable Products (MVP).
Advancing state-of-the-art in modeling, observations, data fusion, AI, machine learning, processing, and advanced visualization.
High computational capacity for responsive visualization interfaces.
Coherent integration between satellite and other data sources (statistics, in situ, UAV Earth Observation data) in a modular architecture.
Clear pathway towards integration with the Destination Earth system.
Development of data lab infrastructure around Destination Earth for AI-enabled digital twins.
Enabling informed decision-making through assistance of (generative) AI models.
Demonstrated trustworthiness in the ethical use of AI.
Robustness and accuracy of models for security usage.

Proposals must demonstrate contribution to Union priorities on climate adaptation, crisis preparedness, and disaster resilience, leveraging the EU’s AI Continent Action Plan. Collaboration with the implementing entities of Destination Earth (ESA, ECMWF, EUMETSAT) is essential. Adherence to Destination Earth standards and synergies with other digital twin developments (e.g., European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen), Horizon Europe projects HORIZON-INFRA-2021-TECH-01, HORIZON-INFRA-2024-TECH-01, HORIZON-INFRA-2025-TECH-01) and data spaces (e.g., European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)) are expected. Proposals should also address the potential use of project outcomes in existing or new service offers by Member States, Associated Countries, or the European Union, such as Copernicus services.

The general conditions for participation are outlined in Annex A, B, C, D, E, F, and G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible costs will be reimbursed as a lump sum.

Application forms, evaluation templates, model grant agreements, and guidance documents are available in the Submission System and through provided links. Additional support and information can be found through the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.

The budget overview provides a list of topics, their budget, the year of the budget (2026), the stage (single-stage), the opening date (2026-03-10), the deadline (2026-06-16), the type of contributions (HORIZON-RIA or HORIZON-CSA), and the indicative number of grants.

This funding opportunity aims to bolster Europe's capacity to address the complex challenges arising from climate change and its impact on societal security. By fostering the development and integration of advanced digital twins, the EU seeks to equip decision-makers with the tools and insights necessary to anticipate, mitigate, and manage a wide range of risks, ultimately enhancing the resilience and security of European citizens and infrastructure. The emphasis on collaboration, data integration, and ethical AI practices underscores the EU's commitment to responsible and effective innovation in this critical domain.

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Breakdown

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that it is a Horizon Europe call for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) related to research infrastructures, eligible applicants are likely to include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. Eligibility is further defined in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and complexity of the projects, it is highly probable that a consortium of multiple applicants is expected to ensure the necessary expertise and resources. Partner Search tools are available.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic focus is on Europe and its neighborhood. However, if necessary, some indicators can also be provided at regional / global levels. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the intersection of environment, climate, and security, with a focus on developing digital twins for civil security. Specific sectors mentioned include natural or human-induced disasters, health and related emergencies, energy sustainability and management, migration, and resource scarcity (e.g., food and water). The program also emphasizes the use of AI, high-performance computing, data fusion, and advanced visualization technologies.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to Member States, Associated Countries, and non-EU and non-associated countries ('third-countries'). The primary geographic focus is on Europe and its neighbourhood.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is at the research, development, and demonstration stages, with an emphasis on creating Minimum Viable Products (MVP) and demonstrating usability in real-world application areas. The projects should strengthen foresight and anticipation capabilities in short (operational), medium (tactical) and long-term (strategical) scenarios.

Funding Amount: The budget overview provides specific funding ranges for each topic:
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01: around €40,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02: €3,000,000 to €5,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01: €2,000,000 to €3,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02: €4,000,000 to €8,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03: €3,000,000 to €4,500,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04: around €2,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05: around €8,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06: €1,000,000 to €1,500,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07: €1,000,000 to €4,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01: around €32,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01: €5,000,000 to €10,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02: €5,000,000 to €7,500,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on developing digital twins and their major components to address the intricate connections between climate change and security. The goal is to equip Europe with advanced tools, technologies, and methods that leverage AI, high-performance computing, and data analytics to strengthen preparedness, resilience, and risk awareness in the face of climate change and related security challenges. The call encourages cross-disciplinary solutions that cover risk mitigation, prevention, and foresight, utilizing the Destination Earth system capabilities. Projects should develop new digital twins or enhance existing ones, demonstrate usability through Minimum Viable Products, advance modeling and visualization techniques, and integrate diverse data sources. The call emphasizes collaboration with the Destination Earth initiative and synergy with other relevant European projects and data spaces. Eligible applicants, likely consortia of research institutions, SMEs, and other relevant organizations, can receive lump sum grants to support their research and innovation activities. The geographic focus is primarily on Europe and its neighborhood, with the aim of improving security and disaster resilience across the Union. The application process involves a single-stage submission, and projects should aim for integration with existing European services like Copernicus.

Short Summary

Impact
The funding aims to develop next-generation digital twin systems that enhance preparedness and resilience against climate change, environmental challenges, and security threats across Europe.
Applicant
Applicants should possess expertise in research and innovation, particularly in digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and environmental sciences, with the ability to collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams.
Developments
The funding will support projects focused on creating and enhancing digital twins for applications in climate action, environmental management, and civil security.
Applicant Type
This funding is designed for research-intensive organizations, including universities, research institutions, and public-private partnerships, capable of forming multi-partner consortia.
Consortium
The funding requires a multi-partner consortium structure, typically involving at least three independent legal entities from different member states or associated countries.
Funding Amount
The funding amount ranges from €5,000,000 to €7,500,000 per project, with a total budget allocation of €15,000,000 for this topic.
Countries
The funding is relevant for EU member states and associated countries, emphasizing a regional focus on Europe and its neighborhood.
Industry
This funding targets the intersection of climate action, environment, and security, aligning with the Destination Earth initiative and the EU's AI Continent Action Plan.

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