Researching and applying the potential of Artificial Intelligence to foster climate resilience at the regional and local levels

Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action HORIZON-MISS funds AI solutions to strengthen climate resilience at regional and local levels under the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission. The topic has an indicative budget of €12,000,000 with approximately €3,000,000 per project (around four projects expected) and a single-stage submission deadline of 21 September 2027. Projects must address one of two objectives—making climate data more accessible (tested with at least 3 regional/local authorities) or sectoral adaptation tools (tested in at least 5 authorities with private-sector engagement)—and will be implemented under a HORIZON lump sum grant model. Eligible participants are legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries and proposals must include operational links to the Mission Implementation Platform, provide training and dissemination materials, and address AI bias, data representativeness and ethical considerations.

Researching and applying AI to foster regional and local climate resilience

What this funds

High-level scope

Horizon Europe RIA call HORIZON-MISS funds research and demonstration of Artificial Intelligence solutions that strengthen climate adaptation at regional and local levels. Projects must either: (1) use AI to make climate data more accessible and actionable for regional and local decision-makers, tested with at least 3 regional or local authorities; or (2) develop AI tools for sectoral adaptation (e.g., agriculture, water, buildings, energy) and test them in at least 5 regional or local authorities, engaging private-sector partners. All projects must provide training and dissemination materials, address data representativeness and bias, and establish operational links with the Mission Implementation Platform and Mission Community of Practice. The proposal must specify which objective it addresses in the free keywords field.

Deadline and call type:Single-stage RIA (HORIZON-RIA) — deadline 21 September 2027 17:00 Brussels time. Apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal.

Funding and duration:Topic budget €12,000,000; indicative EU contribution per project around €3,000,000 (lump-sum financing model applies).¹

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries in line with Horizon Europe eligibility rules; consortia expected (multi-beneficiary projects typical for RIA).
2. 2Minimum territorial testing: Objective 1 requires testing with at least 3 regional/local authorities; Objective 2 requires development and testing in territories of at least 5 regional/local authorities and engagement of private-sector actors.
3. 3Obligations: provide training/dissemination materials, address biases and generative AI limits, and allocate resources to collaborate with the Mission Implementation Platform and related projects (e.g., UNDERPIN, CLIMAAX).

Selection will ensure a balanced portfolio across both objectives; at least the highest-ranked proposal per objective will be funded if thresholds are met. Proposals must justify how they go beyond state of the art and identify the gap addressed. Applicants should budget for engagement with the Mission and for cross-project knowledge exchange (e.g., linking monitoring to frameworks such as UNDERPIN and CLIMAAX).¹

Footnotes

1. 1Lump-sum funding applies (applicants provide a detailed budget table to justify the proposed lump sum). See call page on the Funding & Tenders Portal for the topic text, lump-sum guidance and submission details Call topic page.

Funding Opportunity: Researching and applying the potential of Artificial Intelligence to foster climate resilience at the regional and local levels (HORIZON-MISS-2027-01-CLIMA-02)

Programme: Horizon Europe, Supporting the implementation of the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2027-01). Type of action: HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), implemented as a Lump Sum Grant under the Horizon Model Grant Agreement [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Opening date: 09 February 2027. Deadline: 21 September 2027, 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Status: Forthcoming. Topic page: EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic HORIZON-MISS-2027-01-CLIMA-02. Work Programme reference: Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026–2027 Part 12 Missions, section HORIZON-MISS, page ~60 of the Missions Part HE WP 2026–2027 Missions.

Budget and Award Information

Total indicative topic budget (2027): €12,000,000. Expected EU contribution per project: around €3,000,000. Indicative number of grants: 4. Single-stage submission and evaluation. Funding instrument: Horizon Europe RIA with Lump Sum funding (payments upon completion of work packages, no reporting of actual costs) ¹.

Expected Outcomes and Scope

This topic aims to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI), including machine learning and deep learning, to accelerate climate resilience in European regions and local authorities. Proposals must go beyond the state of the art, identify a concrete gap addressable by AI-powered tools, and explain why the proposed approach would improve existing models, tools or applications, or justify the development of entirely new solutions. Projects must address one of the two objectives below and include measures to ensure responsible AI use, notably avoiding biases, ensuring data representativeness across diverse populations, and addressing limitations and potential misinformation when using generative AI tools.

Objective 1: AI for more accessible data:Integrate AI to make climate and related data more accessible and understandable to facilitate informed decision-making by regional and local authorities. Approaches may include deep learning for pattern extraction and integration. Improvements must be tested with at least 3 regional and/or local authorities and must concretely improve data integrity and accessibility. Where relevant, proposals may use or enhance Destination Earth (DestinE) data, tools and/or services, to be identified in the proposal.

Objective 2: AI for sectoral adaptation:Develop and apply AI/ML tools to optimize resource management and improve adaptation technologies in one or more key sectors (e.g., smart agriculture, construction and buildings, water management, waste management, transport, resilience of energy systems). Tools must be developed and tested in the territories of at least 5 regional or local authorities. The work must engage private sector actors with relevant sectoral expertise to ensure scalability and uptake.

Across both objectives, projects must produce training and dissemination materials tailored to different target groups, including regions and local authorities, to support adoption of the AI-powered improvements. To ensure a balanced portfolio, at least the highest-ranked proposal in each objective will be funded, provided thresholds are met; therefore, the addressed objective must be specified in the proposal’s free keywords (e.g., objective 1 or objective 2).

Strategic Alignment and Required Linkages

• Mission Implementation Platform: Proposals must include mechanisms and resources to establish operational links and collaboration with the Adaptation Mission Implementation Platform, including on monitoring, and to participate in the Mission Community of Practice.
• UNDERPIN monitoring framework: Proposals are encouraged to link their monitoring to the outcome-oriented framework being developed by the UNDERPIN project for climate resilience indicators, ensuring coherence with Mission monitoring needs UNDERPIN on CORDIS.
• CLIMAAX framework: Where relevant, proposals should rely on the updated CLIMAAX framework for climate risk assessments to ensure methodological consistency and best practices CLIMAAX CRA Framework.
• AI policy context: The topic contributes to the AI Continent Action Plan and promotes trustworthy, advanced AI aligned with EU values and rules Communication on boosting startups and innovation in trustworthy AI.

Eligibility, Consortia, and Geographic Scope

Type of Action: HORIZON-RIA Lump Sum. Standard Horizon Europe eligibility applies. Consortia must meet Horizon Europe minimum participation rules for collaborative actions (typically at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country; consult General Annex B for full conditions). Eligible countries: EU Member States (including their OCTs) and Horizon Europe Associated Countries; certain non-associated third-country participants may be funded under specific provisions (see Programme Guide and General Annex B). Proposals must plan and budget for collaboration with the Mission structures noted above.

Application and Evaluation

• Submission: Single-stage, via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; the Submission System opens on 09 February 2027.
• Evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of the Implementation (see General Annex D). Portfolio approach: to ensure coverage of both objectives, the highest-ranked proposal under each objective will be funded if above thresholds.
• Grant set-up: Lump sum model; payments upon completion of work packages as per Annex 2 to the grant agreement. No reporting of actual costs; strong focus on technical performance and outputs ¹.
• Legal and financial: See General Annex G; RIA standard funding rate is 100% (applied within the lump sum method).

Templates and Forms Applicants Will Use

Operational and Technical Expectations

• Piloting with authorities: Objective 1 requires testing improvements with at least 3 regional and/or local authorities; Objective 2 requires tool development and testing in at least 5 regional or local authorities.
• Private sector involvement (Objective 2): Engage sector-relevant private actors to ensure design for scalability and uptake in target sectors.
• Training and dissemination: Provide tailored training and materials for regions/local authorities and other target groups to support adoption of AI-enabled tools.
• Data integrity, representativeness and bias: Address data integrity and accessibility; ensure representative datasets for diverse populations; document and mitigate AI bias; consider limitations and risks of generative AI.
• Portfolio balance and labelling: State the chosen objective in proposal free keywords to support balanced funding across objectives.

Target Sectors and Use Cases

Thematic focus is climate resilience at regional/local level, leveraging AI across public decision-making and sectoral adaptation. Illustrative sectors include smart agriculture, construction and buildings, water management, waste management, transport/mobility, and energy system resilience. Cross-cutting applications span climate risk assessment, forecasting, infrastructure planning, resource optimisation, and climate service integration, potentially building on DestinE assets where relevant.

Key Conditions and Documents (General Annexes and Guidance)

• Admissibility: Proposal page limits and layout per Part B (Submission System) and General Annex A/E.
• Eligible countries and other eligibility conditions: General Annex B; note special provisions for some non-associated third countries via Programme Guide.
• Evaluation and award: General Annex D and F; single-stage model and indicative timeline per Annex F.
• Legal/financial set-up: General Annex G; Lump Sum Decision authorising use under Horizon Europe; standard 25% flat rate for indirect costs integrated into the lump sum estimation; no ex-post financial audits on actual costs, focus on technical reviews ¹.
• Call and Work Programme references: See Missions Work Programme 2026–2027 (Part 12 Missions) for full topic text and cross-references.

Categorisation Answers

Eligible Applicant Types:Universities and higher education institutions; research organisations; SMEs; startups; large enterprises; public sector bodies including regional and local authorities and their agencies; nonprofit organisations and NGOs; public-private partnerships; and international organisations where eligible. Private sector actors with sectoral expertise are expected in Objective 2. Consortia often include ICT/AI providers, climate service providers, data infrastructure providers, and user authorities.

Funding Type:Grant under Horizon Europe, Research and Innovation Action (RIA), implemented as a Lump Sum Grant (payments linked to completed work packages, not actual incurred costs) ¹.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium. Standard Horizon Europe collaborative rules apply (typically at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Associated Country; see General Annex B for full conditions).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible. Certain non-associated third countries may receive funding if specified in the Work Programme/Programme Guide; others may participate without funding unless specific provisions apply (see General Annex B and the Programme Guide).

Target Sector:Climate adaptation and resilience at regional/local levels, with applications across environment, water, energy, transport, construction/buildings, waste, agriculture/food, and ICT/AI-enabled climate services. Emphasis on AI integration for data accessibility, decision support, and sectoral adaptation solutions.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are named. The opportunity targets the EU and Horizon Europe Associated Countries regionally.

Project Stage:Research and innovation with development and validation/demonstration components. Objective 1 focuses on development and validation of AI-enabled data access solutions with testing in at least 3 authorities. Objective 2 focuses on development, testing, and early deployment of sectoral AI tools in at least 5 authorities, designed for scalability and uptake.

Funding Amount:Around €3,000,000 per project; total topic budget €12,000,000; indicative four projects funded.

Application Type:Open call via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; single-stage submission and evaluation.

Nature of Support:Money. Beneficiaries receive EU grant funding as lump sum contributions per completed work package.

Application Stages:1 (single-stage).

Success Rates:Not specified. No historical success rate is provided in the topic or Work Programme.

Co-funding Requirement:RIA funding rate is 100% under Horizon Europe and is embedded in the lump sum. Co-funding is generally not required for eligible costs, but applicants must respect the co-financing principle and cover any ineligible costs or additional contributions if needed ¹.

Templates:Applicants use standard Horizon Europe application materials: Part A online forms (administrative, budget); Part B narrative template (Excellence, Impact, Implementation; objective label in keywords; WPs, deliverables, milestones; ethics, gender, SSH); Lump Sum detailed budget table (Excel annex) that generates the breakdown per WP and participant; standard evaluation form for RIA; HORIZON Lump Sum MGA. Guidance and references: Lump sums guidance, Lump Sum Decision, Programme Guide, Online Manual, and call-specific instructions (Detailed budget table HE LS). See templates and guidance via the topic page and Reference Documents section on the Portal.

What This Opportunity Is About: Extended Summary

HORIZON-MISS is a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action under the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission that funds AI-driven solutions to strengthen climate resilience at regional and local levels in Europe. Projects must choose one of two tracks: either deploy AI to make climate data more accessible for public decision-making, testing improvements with at least three regional/local authorities, or create sectoral AI tools for adaptation tested in at least five authorities in domains such as agriculture, buildings, water, waste, transport, or energy. All projects must produce tailored training and dissemination materials, design for responsible and trustworthy AI (addressing data integrity, representative datasets, and bias mitigation), and collaborate operationally with the Mission Implementation Platform and the Mission Community of Practice. Proposals are encouraged to align monitoring with the UNDERPIN outcome-oriented framework and to base climate risk assessments on the updated CLIMAAX framework. Where relevant, projects may build on Destination Earth resources. The call uses a lump sum grant model that shifts attention from cost reporting to technical performance and outputs; applicants submit a detailed budget table to derive lump sum shares per work package and beneficiary, and payments are made upon completion of agreed work packages. The topic budget is €12 million with about €3 million per project, four projects expected, and a single-stage deadline on 21 September 2027. This is a strong fit for consortia combining AI/ML expertise, climate services, data infrastructures, sectoral end-users, and public authorities, aiming to deliver scalable, bias-aware, and user-centric AI tools that measurably improve climate adaptation decisions and sectoral resilience in Europe.

Footnotes

1. 1Lump Sum funding in Horizon Europe: Decision authorising the use of lump sums and participant guidance describe principles, templates, evaluation and grant management. See the Decision text Lump Sum Decision (07.07.2021) and the practical guide Lump sums – what do I need to know?.

Funding Opportunity Analysis: AI for Climate Resilience at Regional and Local Levels

Opportunity Overview

This is a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) call under Horizon Europe's Adaptation to Climate Change Mission, specifically designed to advance artificial intelligence applications for climate resilience at regional and local governance levels. The call supports the EU's strategic objectives outlined in the AI Continent Action Plan and the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, which aims to help at least 150 European regions and local authorities become climate-resilient by 2030.

Call Identifier:HORIZON-MISS

Programme:Horizon Europe, Supporting the implementation of the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission

Type of Action:HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions)

Key Dates and Deadlines

Submission Window:Opens 9 February 2027, closes 21 September 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time

Evaluation Model:Single-stage evaluation process

Funding Details

Total Budget:€12,000,000

Expected Grant per Project:Approximately €3,000,000 per project

Indicative Number of Grants:Around 4 projects expected to be funded

Funding Rate:100% for Research and Innovation Actions

Cost Structure:Lump sum funding model, which simplifies financial reporting and reduces administrative burden compared to traditional actual costs reimbursement. Payments are made upon completion of work packages rather than based on actual costs incurred.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Applicants are unrestricted and unspecified in terms of organization type. Eligible participants include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, public authorities, and non-profit organizations. Participants must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The call is open to a comprehensive list of eligible countries spanning the EU27, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as numerous third countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, and many others ¹.

Consortia must demonstrate strong implementation capacity and operational viability. At least one beneficiary must be capable of managing the project effectively. International organizations with headquarters in Member States or Associated Countries are exceptionally eligible if their participation ensures coherence with international climate adaptation initiatives.

Project Objectives and Scope

Projects must address one of two distinct objectives, each with specific requirements and testing parameters.

Objective 1: AI for More Accessible Data:Proposals should explore how AI techniques, including deep learning, can process and identify patterns from large datasets to make climate data more accessible and understandable for decision-makers in regions and local authorities. Improvements must be tested with at least 3 regional and local authorities to demonstrate concrete added value. Proposals must improve data integrity and accessibility, potentially leveraging Destination Earth (DestinE) data, tools, and services where relevant.

Objective 2: AI for Sectoral Adaptation:Proposals should develop and test machine learning and AI tools to help regions and local authorities optimize resource management and improve adaptation technologies in key sectors such as smart agriculture, construction and buildings, water management, waste management, transports, and energy systems resilience. Tools must be developed and tested in the territory of at least 5 regional or local authorities. Private sector actors with relevant expertise must be engaged to ensure tools are designed for scalability and uptake.

Regardless of which objective is addressed, all proposals must provide training and dissemination materials for different target groups, including regions and local authorities. Special attention must be given to avoiding biases, ensuring data represents diverse populations, and addressing limitations and potential misinformation when using generative AI tools.

Critical Requirements and Conditions

• Proposals must go beyond state of the art and identify specific gaps addressable by AI-powered tools, explaining why improvements would enhance existing models or justify developing entirely new solutions
• Projects must establish operational links and collaboration with the Mission Implementation Platform, including on monitoring, with adequate budget provisions
• Participation in the Mission Community of Practice is mandatory, with resources dedicated to sharing relevant knowledge
• Proposals are encouraged to link monitoring to the UNDERPIN framework and rely on the CLIMAAX framework for climate risk assessments where relevant ²
• Objective addressed must be specified in the free keywords section of the proposal (either 'objective 1' or 'objective 2')
• To ensure balanced portfolio coverage, at least one highest-ranked proposal per objective will be funded, provided all applications meet evaluation thresholds
• Projects must demonstrate how they contribute to the AI Continent Action Plan and EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change objectives

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated against standard Horizon Europe criteria: excellence, impact, and quality and efficiency of implementation. Evaluation will be conducted by independent external experts using standard procedures. For lump sum proposals, experts with financial expertise will assess whether proposed resources and budget allocation allow achieving described activities and expected outputs.

Strategic Context and Policy Alignment

This call is embedded within the broader EU strategy to leverage artificial intelligence for climate action. The European Commission has announced a €14 billion Horizon Europe work programme for 2026-2027, with significant investment in climate action and digital transformation ³. The call specifically supports the AI Continent Action Plan, which aims to establish AI factories and gigafactories across Europe to develop cutting-edge AI models and applications ⁴.

Research indicates that AI can help mitigate 5-10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, equivalent to the total annual emissions of the European Union. The call recognizes AI's potential in climate adaptation through improved forecasting, optimization of complex systems, and better tracking of progress towards climate goals ⁵.

Grant Agreement and Financial Management

Type of Grant Agreement:HORIZON Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS)

The lump sum funding model represents a significant simplification compared to traditional actual costs grants. Under this approach, applicants propose a lump sum amount based on estimated direct and indirect costs, broken down by work package and beneficiary. The lump sum is fixed in the grant agreement and payments are made upon completion of work packages, not based on actual costs incurred. This eliminates the need for detailed cost reporting and financial audits, reducing administrative burden for beneficiaries ⁶.

Indirect costs are calculated using a flat rate of 25 percent applied to eligible direct costs. Applicants must prepare detailed budgets using templates provided in the submission system, with cost estimations that are reasonable, non-excessive, and aligned with normal organizational practices. Between 5 and 8 percent of the total lump sum is retained as contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.

Application Process and Documentation

• Applications must use the standard Horizon Europe application form available in the submission system
• A detailed budget table in Excel format must be submitted as an annex to Part B of the application, showing cost estimations per work package and per beneficiary
• Proposals must describe activities covered by each work package in detail and address all related resources
• Page limits and layout requirements are specified in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
• Applications must include mechanisms for establishing operational links with the Mission Implementation Platform
• Applicants should acknowledge and account for collaboration requirements with adequate budget provisions

Key Considerations for Applicants

The call emphasizes innovation and going beyond current state-of-the-art solutions. Proposals must clearly identify specific gaps in climate adaptation that AI can address and explain why proposed solutions would improve existing approaches or justify developing new ones. The involvement of regional and local authorities as end-users and testing partners is critical, with minimum participation thresholds (3 authorities for Objective 1, 5 for Objective 2) that must be met.

Applicants should note that this is a research and innovation action, not a demonstration or deployment action. The focus is on developing, testing, and validating AI solutions with regional and local authorities, not on large-scale implementation. However, proposals should design solutions with scalability and replication potential in mind, engaging private sector partners where appropriate.

The call requires strong attention to ethical considerations, particularly regarding bias in AI systems and ensuring that data used is representative of diverse populations. Applicants must also address potential limitations and risks associated with generative AI tools in climate adaptation contexts.

Support and Guidance Resources

• Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides detailed guidance on structure, budget, and political priorities
• National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe
• Research Enquiry Service answers questions about European research and EU Research Framework Programmes
• IT Helpdesk provides technical support for submission system issues
• European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues
• Online Manual guides applicants through procedures from proposal submission to grant management
• Lump sum-specific guidance documents and video tutorials are available on the Funding and Tenders Portal

Timeline and Next Steps

The submission system will open on 9 February 2027. Applicants should begin preparing proposals well in advance, particularly given the requirement to identify and engage regional and local authorities as testing partners. The single-stage evaluation process means there is no opportunity to revise and resubmit after the deadline. Following evaluation, grant agreements are typically prepared within several months, with projects expected to commence in 2027 or early 2028.

Footnotes

1. 1Eligible countries include all EU27 Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and numerous third countries. The full list is available in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
2. 2UNDERPIN is an EU-funded project developing outcome-oriented monitoring frameworks for climate adaptation. CLIMAAX provides a comprehensive climate risk assessment framework covering scoping, risk identification, analysis, key risk assessment, and monitoring and evaluation.
3. 3The Horizon Europe 2026-2027 work programme allocates at least 35 percent (around €4.9 billion) to climate-related activities, with Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy and Mobility) receiving €1.644 billion.
4. 4The AI Continent Action Plan includes establishing at least 19 AI factories across Europe and up to 5 AI gigafactories, with the InvestAI facility aiming to mobilize €20 billion in private investment.
5. 5According to policy research, AI applications can support climate mitigation and adaptation across multiple sectors including energy, agriculture, healthcare, and industrial processes, with potential to reduce emissions equivalent to the EU's total annual greenhouse gas output.
6. 6Lump sum funding eliminates obligations for actual cost reporting and financial ex-post audits. Payments depend on completion of work packages as described in the grant agreement, not on successful outcomes. Work packages can be modified through amendments to accommodate scientific developments.