Migration and climate change: building resilience and enhancing sustainability

The EU is offering a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program for a project titled "Migration and climate change: building resilience and enhancing sustainability." This funding falls under the HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) category and entails a lump sum grant of approximately €2 million. The deadline for submission is September 16, 2025, with the call currently open since May 15, 2025.

The primary objective of this grant is to strengthen both EU and national migration governance by integrating considerations of climate change into migration policies. Successful projects are expected to develop a dynamic knowledge repository and an exchange platform that fosters collaboration among stakeholders including researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Key expected outcomes include:
1. Development of a strategic roadmap that outlines research and policy priorities related to climate change and migration.
2. Establishment of a dynamic information-sharing platform to support stakeholders engaged in climate-coupled migration, focusing on comprehensive data about migration patterns influenced by climate change.
3. Identification of gaps in current knowledge and practices, laying the groundwork for future research and policy initiatives.

Projects must adopt an interdisciplinary approach, not only addressing climate issues but also looking into social aspects such as inequalities exacerbated by migration due to environmental factors. Involvement of the Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography and collaboration with various European Commission departments will be essential to ensure project sustainability.

Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU member states and Horizon Europe-associated countries. Under certain conditions, entities from non-associated third countries may also participate. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may also be involved as a consortium member.

While the application process is a single-stage procedure, details regarding co-funding requirements remain unspecified. The expected funding allocation is €2 million for a single project, with the success rate being unclear due to the limited number of grants available.

In summary, this grant initiative is centered on creating an integrated framework that enhances understanding and management of climate-induced migration by fostering collaboration, producing actionable policy recommendations, and ensuring alignment with EU values. The overarching aim is to establish a sustainable system that effectively addresses the challenges posed by climate change on migration patterns.

The EU is offering a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society call for 2025. The project, titled "Migration and climate change: building resilience and enhancing sustainability," aims to address the complex relationship between climate change and migration.

The funding is provided through HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) with a Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] mechanism. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline of September 16, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The opening date was May 15, 2025.

The primary goal of this funding opportunity is to strengthen EU and national migration governance. This will be achieved by developing a dynamic knowledge database and an exchange platform to foster collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. The ultimate aim is to integrate environment and climate change migration considerations into EU and national policies.

Projects funded under this call are expected to deliver the following outcomes:

A strengthened EU and national migration governance through a dynamic knowledge database and exchange platform.
A strategic roadmap outlining key research and policy priorities related to climate change and migration.
Policy recommendations to improve the EU's understanding and preparedness, as well as enhance collaboration with third countries.

The scope of the projects should include:

Developing a strategic roadmap that provides a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of climate change on migration, considering its effects on future generations. This roadmap should also identify key research and policy priorities related to environmental degradation, climate change, and migration.
Creating a dynamic exchange platform with up-to-date information accessible to all stakeholders involved in climate change and migration. This platform should be collaborative, user-editable, and community-driven, serving as a central hub for information, resources, networking, and coordination. It should focus on integrating climate change considerations into migration policies and incorporate comprehensive data on migration patterns, including international and internal displacements, destinations, and the role of climate change as a root cause.
Identifying gaps and setting the groundwork for future research and policy initiatives. Projects should adopt an interdisciplinary approach, integrating climate, population, and human mobility studies to address the complex relationship between environmental disasters and migration intentions. They should also analyze vulnerabilities, such as internal displacements and the exacerbation of inequalities due to climate change, while aligning with EU's external policy frameworks for adaptation strategies.
Considering the involvement of the Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography (KCMD) operated by the European Commission’s JRC to ensure the project's sustainability. The structure and format of the platform should be decided in collaboration with DG RTD, DG HOME, and the JRC, and it should be built and hosted within the KCMD's web environment. The development of the roadmap should also involve consultation with relevant stakeholders, including DG RTD, DG HOME, and the JRC. Findings and recommendations should be translated into concise policy briefs, preferably in coordination with the KCMD.
Identifying local case studies to perform context-specific analysis and extract actionable insights and scalable solutions for broader migration and climate adaptation policies. These case studies could explore the impact of climate change in different regions and the phenomenon of environmental immobility.
Building on the findings of completed Horizon 2020 projects on forecast and foresight, particularly from the topic ‘MIGRATION-01-2019 - Understanding migration mobility patterns: elaborating mid and long-term migration scenarios’, and building on the deliverables of project INNOVATE and relevant projects of Destination “Effective management of EU external borders” of Horizon Europe Cluster’s 3/Horizon 2020’ SC7, such as projects ITFLOWS, CRITERIA, MIRROR and PERCEPTIONS, as well as the relevant use cases and pilots conducted as part of the Destination Earth initiative.
Incorporating data from European Research Infrastructures, such as the European Social Survey, and leveraging data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces. Efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).
Producing a range of feasible policy recommendations based on evaluations of existing EU humanitarian aid, development and migration policies. These recommendations should be drafted as actionable policy options, include cost considerations, and explicitly recommend additions or modifications of current EU strategies, regulations, and directives. The option of non-action should also be elaborated, and the recommendations should be firmly embedded in EU values.

The general conditions for this funding opportunity include:

Admissibility Conditions: The proposal page limit for Part B of a CSA using lump sum funding is 33 pages. A detailed budget table must be submitted using the template in the Submission system.
Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may apply to non-EU/non-Associated Countries.
Other Eligible Conditions: Legal entities from non-associated third countries may participate under certain conditions. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) can participate as a member of the consortium.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: The granting authority can fund a maximum of one project. The submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Legal and financial set-up: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Applicants should use the standard application form (HE CSA) and evaluation form templates. Guidance is available in the HE Programme Guide and Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and other relevant guidelines and regulations.

The total budget for the topic is 2,000,000 EUR, and it is expected that one project will be funded.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to support the development of a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on migration. It seeks to create a collaborative platform and strategic roadmap to inform policy decisions and enhance migration governance at the EU and national levels. The project emphasizes interdisciplinary research, stakeholder involvement, and the production of actionable policy recommendations. This opportunity is about creating a comprehensive and collaborative approach to understanding and managing the intersection of climate change and migration within the EU. It's about building a knowledge base, a platform for exchange, and a roadmap for future action, all while ensuring that policy recommendations are grounded in EU values and are practical for implementation. The EU wants to fund a project that can bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to create a sustainable and effective system for addressing climate-induced migration.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in EU member states, associated countries, and under certain conditions, legal entities from non-associated third countries. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may also participate as a member of the consortium.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a lump sum grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as it mentions collaboration and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) participating as a member of the consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. Legal entities from non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate under certain conditions.

Target Sector: The target sectors are culture, creativity, and inclusive society, with a focus on climate change, migration, environmental degradation, research, policy, and humanitarian aid.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU countries and non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on developing a strategic roadmap, creating a dynamic exchange platform, identifying gaps, setting groundwork for future research, and producing policy recommendations. This suggests a project stage leaning towards research, development, and policy implementation.

Funding Amount: The funding amount for the HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-11 topic is around EUR 2,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call.

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

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: Based on the budget overview, the HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-11 topic indicates that one grant will be awarded. It is not possible to determine the success rate.

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

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-11, focuses on "Migration and climate change: building resilience and enhancing sustainability." It is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) that aims to strengthen EU and national migration governance by integrating climate change considerations into migration policies. The selected project, receiving around EUR 2,000,000, is expected to develop a strategic roadmap, create a dynamic knowledge database and exchange platform, and formulate policy recommendations. The platform should be collaborative, user-editable, and community-driven, incorporating data on migration patterns, climate change impacts, and vulnerabilities. The project should also consider the involvement of the Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography (KCMD) and leverage data from European Research Infrastructures. Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU member states, associated countries, and, under specific conditions, non-associated third countries. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) can participate as part of the consortium. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of September 16, 2025. The funding will be provided as a lump sum grant. The project should produce feasible policy recommendations based on evaluations of existing EU policies, firmly embedded in EU values.