Monitoring, reporting, verification and mitigation of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and related air pollutants from agriculture

This EU funding opportunity, part of Horizon Europe under Cluster 6, focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector while enhancing monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) processes. It is categorized as a single-stage Research and Innovation Action (RIA) and offers support in the form of a lump-sum grant, which simplifies the funding process by linking payments to specific project deliverables. The call opened on May 6, 2025, and has a submission deadline of September 16, 2025.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, agricultural technology companies, and environmental organizations. Collaborations among multiple entities are encouraged, typically within a consortium of at least three different organizations from EU member states or associated countries. While the geographic scope primarily covers the EU, international partnerships are also welcomed, particularly with China, aligning with the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions initiative.

The grant aims to address non-CO2 gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, and target outcomes include improved MRV of these emissions at the farm level, better integration of this data into agricultural policy, and increased knowledge of how different agricultural practices impact emissions.

Proposals should focus on various agricultural practices including manure management and fertilizer use, aiming to develop effective metrics and mitigation strategies tailored to diverse farming systems. Additionally, projects should consider the impacts of climate change and elevated atmospheric CO2 on emissions while facilitating capacity-building activities among farmers and stakeholders.

The funding amount is variable, contingent upon the specific project scope, with comparable grants often ranging from €6 million to €12 million. The call emphasizes eco-innovation and sustainable practices, underscoring the importance of aligning with European climate policies to achieve broader climate neutrality targets by 2050.

Submission guidelines include page limits and adherence to specific formats, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme. Successful proposals will demonstrate operational capacity and include aspects of collaboration with other relevant Horizon projects, supporting a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to tackling agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (excluding CO2) from the agricultural sector and improve emissions monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV). The call falls under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically Cluster 6, and is designated as a single-stage HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (RIA). The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. The call opened on May 6, 2025, with a deadline of September 16, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of successful proposals include: Improved MRV of direct and indirect non-CO2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related air pollutants, particularly at the farm level. Comprehensive integration of improved MRV and practical experience into relevant models for agricultural policy development. Enhanced knowledge of how non-CO2 GHG and air pollutant emissions respond to different agricultural practices and climate change impacts. Availability of new and improved knowledge and approaches for mitigating non-CO2 emissions, widely shared and applied in agricultural practice.

The scope of the proposals should address agricultural practices in manure management, livestock feeding and grazing, soil tillage, fertiliser use, and liming, focusing on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), including indirect sources of N2O. Proposals should aim to develop harmonised metrics and effective mitigation measures for all relevant types of farming systems, including animal husbandry. Projects should assess and improve the accuracy, effectiveness, efficiency, and user-friendliness of MRV tools for GHGs, reducing uncertainties through established and novel methods. A life-cycle perspective should be included when addressing emissions related to fertilisation, comparing organic to mineral/chemical fertilisers. Proposals should improve the understanding of linkages between direct non-CO2 GHG emissions, notably of N2O, and other pollutant emissions from agricultural practices (including ammonia), and assess and develop options for reducing trade-offs between mitigation measures for both types of emissions. Projects should consolidate and improve knowledge on mitigation measures for agricultural non-CO2 GHG emissions, and assess the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and climate change impacts on those emissions and on options for their mitigation. Capacity building among farmers, farm advisors, and other relevant actors for widespread utilisation of improved MRV tools and GHG mitigation measures is also required through dedicated training and outreach activities.

Proposals must include a dedicated task and resources for cooperation with other relevant Horizon Europe projects, including HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-07 (“Improving grassland management in European livestock farming systems”) and HORIZON-MISS-2024-SOIL-01-04 (“Systems to quantify nitrogen fluxes and uncertainties in European landscapes”) under the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”. Various farming systems/approaches, including organic farming, should be addressed, covering a range of different pedo-climatic zones.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding, modeling trade-offs between CO2 and non-CO2 emissions for different farming activities, using MRV tools to support the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) certification framework. International cooperation, particularly with China under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative, is strongly encouraged.

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 those described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligible conditions include the potential participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based earth observation data.

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

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and the model grant agreement (MGA) are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and portals.

The budget overview lists 26 topics, including climate and farm to fork initiatives, with opening dates of May 6, 2025, and deadlines of September 16, 2025. The indicative number of grants and budget allocations vary by topic.

Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators. The Funding & Tenders Portal provides access to the Electronic Submission Service and draft proposals.

This funding opportunity aims to support projects that can effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, improve the accuracy of emissions monitoring, and promote sustainable agricultural practices in line with EU climate and agricultural policies. It encourages collaboration and the development of innovative solutions for a climate-neutral future.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations from both the public and private sectors. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding. The program guide should be consulted for specific eligibility criteria.

Funding Type: The primary funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. There are also HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding, and proposals should include cooperation with other projects. Partner search tools are also mentioned.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The target sector is agriculture, climate, and environment, specifically focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (excluding CO2) from the agricultural sector and improving monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of these emissions. It also touches upon food systems and soil management.

Mentioned Countries: China is explicitly mentioned as international cooperation with China is strongly encouraged under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative. The primary geographic focus is the European Union (EU).

Project Stage: The project stage appears to span from research and development to demonstration and implementation, as it includes both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA).

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action (RIA, IA, CSA, Cofund). The indicative grant amounts range from €2,000,000 to €130,000,000.

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

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

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, which can be used to estimate the potential success rate based on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: For HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions, co-funding is required. The specific co-funding rates are not detailed in the provided text.

Summary: This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on mitigating non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. The call aims to improve monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of these emissions, integrate MRV into agricultural policy development, enhance knowledge of emission responses to agricultural practices and climate change, and promote the application of mitigation measures. The call encourages international cooperation, particularly with China, and involves various types of actions, including research and innovation, innovation actions, and coordination and support actions. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate in selected consortia. The call is a single-stage open call with a deadline of September 16, 2025. The eligible applicants are expected to form a consortium. The call addresses the EU's climate and agricultural policies, including the Regulation on Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming, and contributes to the EU's climate neutrality target by 2050.