Improving climate resilience of navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related water infrastructure

The HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-06 grant opportunity, titled "Improving Climate Resilience of Navigable Inland Waterways," is funded under the Horizon Europe program. It allocates a total budget of €12 million, with each selected project receiving €6 million. The funding aims to develop climate resilience strategies for Europe’s essential inland waterway systems, which span 25 EU Member States and are critical for sustainable transport and ecological integrity.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, research centers, SMEs with R&D capabilities, and large enterprises demonstrating financial and operational capacity. A consortium is required, emphasizing collaboration across different countries to address climate risks effectively. The opportunity promotes innovative research and practical adaptation solutions, specifically targeting climate modeling, systematic climate risk assessments, and enhanced stakeholder engagement.

The call is highly competitive with only two projects expected to be funded, indicating a likely success rate of under 20%, aligned with historical trends for Horizon Europe. The application process allows for a single-stage proposal submission, requiring comprehensive project outlines without prior concept notes. Grants will be issued as lump sum contributions, simplifying the funding management process.

Projects should demonstrate actionable climate resilience measures, especially nature-based solutions, while coordinating efforts with ongoing and related projects to avoid redundancy. The initiative supports the EU’s broader adaptation strategies and recognizes the vulnerability of waterway infrastructure to climate change impacts. The proposal submission window opens on February 4, 2026, and closes on September 23, 2026. The successful projects will likely address the urgent need for integrated management of navigable waterways in response to climate adaptation challenges.

This EU funding opportunity, under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, aims to improve the climate resilience of navigable inland waterways, their surroundings, and related water infrastructure. The call, titled "Supporting the implementation of the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2026-1)," seeks to support the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Preparedness Strategy, and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan.

The intended outcomes of successful proposals include:

Integrated and sustainable management of navigable inland waterways and related infrastructure across Europe, enhancing their climate resilience.
Systematic addressing of climate and environmental risks to water infrastructure, such as droughts, flooding, slow-onset events, ecological degradation, and cascading events.
Improved safe, efficient, and reliable navigability conditions.
Identification of cost-efficient and environmentally friendly measures, particularly nature-based solutions, with stakeholder involvement, to enhance climate resilience while supporting integrated co-benefits and avoiding competing water uses.

The scope of the projects should address the following aspects:

Addressing the lack of a common climate modeling framework for EU waterways and improving predictions and projections.
Conducting a comprehensive climate risk assessment of the EU's navigable waterways from the Trans-European Transport network (TEN-T), covering mobility, supply chain security, critical infrastructure, geographical and economic interdependencies, and multifunctional water resilience.
Estimating the investments required for climate change adaptation and the costs of inaction.
Providing actionable information to guide effective climate adaptation solutions, maximizing co-benefits (including for biodiversity) and ensuring integrated management of inland navigable waterways.
Developing adaptation solutions on various waterways, prioritizing nature-based solutions and nature restoration.
Enhancing stakeholder collaboration mechanisms.
Coordination with other projects funded under this topic to maximize synergies and avoid duplications.

The rationale behind this call is that while inland waterways are a carbon-efficient mode of transportation and crucial for the green transition, they are threatened by climate change and ecological degradation. The goal is to better understand and improve the climate resilience of these waterways and related systems.

Projects should build on existing knowledge and adaptation solutions from previous projects and explore synergies with ongoing projects from EU and national programs, as well as the International River Commissions. They should also include a mechanism and resources for collaboration with the Mission Implementation Platform and relevant knowledge platforms like PLATINA4Action. Participation in the Mission Community of Practice and knowledge sharing with the HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-02 project are expected.

General conditions for admissibility 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 as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries.
Other eligible conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial setup of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms, as well as the model grant agreement (MGA), are available in the Submission System. Standard application forms (HE RIA, IA) and evaluation forms will be used with necessary adaptations. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, Lump Sum MGA, and call-specific instructions.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
EIC Work Programme 2026
ERC Work Programme 2026
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview for the year 2026 includes the following topics:

HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-01 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-02 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 5,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 9,186,307.3 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-04 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 5,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 21,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 3 grants.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-06 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 2 grants.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-07 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 20,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 04/02/2026, deadline on 23/09/2026, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

There are 14 partner search announcements available. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

For support, applicants are encouraged to consult 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, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, and the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment. Partner Search tools are also available.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to enhance the climate resilience of EU inland waterways by supporting research, innovation, and coordination efforts. It seeks to address climate risks, promote sustainable management, and improve navigability while aligning with EU adaptation strategies and missions. The call encourages collaboration, stakeholder involvement, and the use of nature-based solutions to achieve these goals. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the submission process is managed through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Innovation Actions (IA), eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries are also eligible under specific provisions.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of the activities, a consortium is highly probable.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries. However, the documentation mentions that 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 target sectors are climate, environment, transport, and water management, with a focus on improving the climate resilience of navigable inland waterways and related infrastructure.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and its 25 Member States with navigable inland waterways. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may be eligible under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity includes research, development, and innovation, with an emphasis on developing and demonstrating adaptation solutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €5,000,000 to €21,000,000.
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-01: €10,000,000
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-02: €5,000,000
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-03: €9,186,307.3
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-04: €5,000,000
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-05: €21,000,000
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-06: €12,000,000
HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-07: €20,000,000

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 involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation of the potential success rate based on the number of expected proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated, but it is common for Horizon Europe projects to require some level of co-funding from the applicants or other sources.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on "Improving climate resilience of navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related water infrastructure." It aims to support the implementation of EU strategies and missions related to climate adaptation and water resilience. The call is structured around several topics, each with a specific budget and scope, ranging from coordination and support actions to research and innovation actions. Projects are expected to address the lack of a common climate modelling framework, conduct comprehensive climate risk assessments, estimate investment needs, provide actionable information for adaptation solutions, develop adaptation solutions on various waterways, and enhance stakeholder collaboration mechanisms. The call is open to a wide range of applicants, including research organizations, businesses, and other relevant entities from EU member states and associated countries, with potential eligibility for non-EU/non-associated countries under specific provisions. Funding will be provided as lump sum grants, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The call emphasizes the importance of building on existing knowledge, creating synergies with other projects and initiatives, and collaborating with the Mission Implementation Platform. The overall goal is to enhance the climate resilience and sustainable management of Europe's inland waterways, contributing to the green transition and the achievement of EU climate objectives.