Strengthening the resilience of water systems and water sector to climate and global socio-economic change impacts

The EU Funding Opportunity HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01 aims to enhance the resilience of water systems and the water sector against climate change and socio-economic impacts. This initiative falls under the Horizon Europe program and specifically the Cluster 6 focus area. The funding type is primarily a grant, categorized under Horizon Innovation Actions, with a total indicative budget of €18 million for this call.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises, large corporations, non-governmental organizations, public-private partnerships, and government bodies engaged in climate resilience and water management. A consortium of multiple stakeholders is required for participation, which fosters collaborative research and innovation.

The project scope emphasizes sectors such as climate action, environmental sustainability, water management, and socio-economic resilience, aligning with the European Green Deal and EU climate adaptation strategies. Even though no specific countries are mentioned, applicants must be based in EU member states, European Economic Area countries, or associated nations.

This funding opportunity requires projects to be at a demonstration or validation stage, focusing on developing innovative tools and strategies for effective water resource management. Individual projects may receive funding in the range of €1 million to €6 million, depending on their scope.

The application process follows a two-stage model, with the first deadline for preliminary submissions due on September 4, 2025, and the second for full proposals by February 18, 2026. Successful proposals are expected to address the ongoing climate-water nexus, improve assessment and management techniques for hydrological cycles, and support biodiversity protection.

The call encourages projects that aim to compare and demonstrate effective tools for forecasting water resource availability, enhance urban and rural water management, and ensure fair access to drinking water. It promotes integration across different sectors, leveraging existing EU initiatives and fostering stakeholder engagement, particularly regarding social sciences and inclusive practices.

In summary, this grant opportunity represents a strategic effort to create resilient water systems through innovative solutions that address the challenges posed by climate change while ensuring stakeholder collaboration and engagement.

The EU Funding Opportunity HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01-two-stage focuses on strengthening the resilience of water systems and the water sector to climate and global socio-economic change impacts. This is a Horizon Europe call under Cluster 6, which is a two-stage call. The type of action is HORIZON-IA, which stands for Horizon Innovation Actions. The Model Grant Agreement type is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

The call is currently open for submission. It follows a two-stage deadline model. The opening date was 06 May 2025. The first deadline is 04 September 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time, and the second deadline is 18 February 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome of successful proposals is to contribute to the impact of the Destination on adaptation and mitigation of water systems in the context of climate change, supporting also biodiversity protection and restoration, in line with the European Green Deal, the EU climate adaptation strategy, the Nature Restoration Regulation, EU water legislation, and the upcoming European water resilience strategy.

Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

Improved assessment and management of the changing hydrological cycle, including at fine spatial scales, to reduce water risks amplified by climate change. This involves fostering innovative observing systems to monitor trends in the atmospheric hydrological cycle, promoting water-resilient land use, management, and planning, and supporting biodiversity protection and restoration. It also includes enhancing cross-sectoral and transboundary catchment cooperation between various water use sectors and ensuring complementarity between water-related policies.

Increased water use efficiency in all sectors at the basin level, balancing water demand and supply, and helping to transform the economics and restructuring the governance of water.

Support for policymakers in preparing for better water infrastructure management and planning, including ensuring fair access to drinking water and other essential uses.

The scope of the funding opportunity addresses the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, recognizing water as central to these challenges. It acknowledges the changing global hydrological cycle, the increasing frequency of droughts and floods in Europe, and the perturbation of the EU water balance. These issues are interlinked and must be addressed together under the water, energy, food, and ecosystem (WEFE) nexus. The call emphasizes the need to adopt a "from the source to the sea" approach, supporting biodiversity protection and restoration.

The objective is to compare and demonstrate the potential of available state-of-the-art tools to forecast the availability of water resources at regional and local scales, building on existing tools developed for the European scale by the Joint Research Centre (JRC). Proposals should consider both the global water cycle (blue and green water) and sectoral water demands for both seasonal and long-term horizons, using an integrated water management approach. This includes water allocation tools for different uses integrating the quality needed for each use, as well as tools for resilient urban planning and water infrastructure management allowing among others run-off control, reducing flood and drought risks, ensuring safety of citizens and infrastructures and support to biodiversity protection/restoration.

Demonstrations should occur in diverse European regions, such as river basins, and involve a wide range of stakeholders, including water sectors, managers, authorities, urban and rural planners, policymakers, and civil society. Solutions should aim to foster and restore natural retention measures, mitigate drainage losses, and enhance water retention in watersheds. Actions should address the fragmentation of water monitoring and observation data by strengthening the complementarity between satellites, in situ data, participatory research, and integrated assessment models.

Appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and tools should be developed to strengthen the resilience of the water sector. These strategies should assess:

Strategies and technical cost-efficient and sustainable solutions for alternative water resources production adapted to the anticipated use.

The governance of water resource management to better consider the interlinkages of various water-related policies to ensure reliable allocation of water for different uses and cross-sectoral coordination.

The suitability of current indicators to appropriately define water efficiency in various sectors and provide a harmonized methodology to increase water efficiency.

Strategies to anticipate the consequences of recurrent extreme events, including land use analysis (e.g., floods and droughts) and reduce the associated risks.

Water resilience by exploring water transfer effects for seasonal, annual, and pluriannual time-horizon on ecosystems, populations, agriculture, industrial consumption.

The suitability of solutions to support biodiversity protection/restoration with attention given to avoiding the spread of invasive alien species and to ensuring enough water for entire ecosystems.

The economic foundation of current water management systems, including water pricing and trade policies, should be reviewed to provide elements for a new economic framework.

Proposals should avoid duplication with related ongoing work and strengthen complementarities with relevant EU Missions and Partnerships (e.g., Water4All, Biodiversa+). They should build on assessment reports from the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and leverage existing hydrological modelling tools and datasets from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, Climate Change and Land Monitoring Services, and Destination Earth initiatives. Synergies and complementarities with other related Horizon Europe projects are encouraged, and proposals should plan the necessary budget to cover related cluster activities.

The action should involve a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, technology providers, water utilities, business representatives, investors, policy makers, and citizens. Gender and other social categories (disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnic and / or cultural origins, sexual orientation, etc.) need to be considered when engaging stakeholders. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate to ensure the assessment of available state-of-the-art tools adequately integrates existing JRC work.

The integration of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), including gender studies, and Citizen Social Science approaches are needed to ensure the proposed climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies are socially accepted and inclusive.

The total budget for the HORIZON-CL6-2025-02 call is as follows:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01-two-stage: 18,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 3.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 2.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 2.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-03-two-stage: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 2.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-04-two-stage: 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 2.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-05-two-stage: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants is 2.

The general conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, and legal and financial setup are described in the relevant annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme and the Online Manual. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates and evaluation form templates are available in the Submission System. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide and Model Grant Agreements (MGA). Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, EU Financial Regulation, and various guidelines and FAQs available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Partner search announcements are available on the portal, and applicants can use the Electronic Submission Service to submit their proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to bolster the resilience of water systems across Europe in the face of climate change and socio-economic pressures. It seeks innovative solutions for water management, integrating various sectors and stakeholders, and promoting sustainable practices to ensure water security and ecosystem health. The call encourages projects that demonstrate practical tools and strategies, build on existing research and data, and contribute to policy development and private investment in the water sector. The funding opportunity is a two-stage process, with deadlines in September 2025 and February 2026, and is open to a wide range of participants, including researchers, technology providers, water utilities, and policymakers.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call is open to a wide range of relevant stakeholders, including researchers, technology providers, water utilities, business representatives, investors, policy makers, other water users, and citizens. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. The Enterprise Europe Network is available for advice to businesses with a special focus on SMEs.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) under the Horizon Europe program. The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. The action should bring together a wide range of relevant stakeholders. Partner search announcements are available to help find partner organizations.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-associated countries that have made funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: climate, environment, water, energy, food, agriculture, biodiversity, urban and rural planning, policy making, and socio-economic aspects of water management. It addresses the water, energy, food, and ecosystem (WEFE) nexus.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries. It also refers to diverse European regions for demonstrations.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is demonstration, as the call aims to compare and demonstrate state-of-the-art tools for forecasting water resource availability. It also supports innovation actions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. For HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01-two-stage, the budget is EUR 18,000,000, with an indicative number of 3 grants (around EUR 6,000,000 each). For the FARM2FORK topics, the budgets range from EUR 8,000,000 to EUR 12,000,000, with an indicative number of 2 grants per topic (around EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000 each).

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the expected competitiveness.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on strengthening the resilience of water systems and the water sector to the impacts of climate change and global socio-economic changes. The call aims to support projects that contribute to the European Green Deal, the EU climate adaptation strategy, the Nature Restoration Regulation, EU water legislation, and the upcoming European water resilience strategy. The main goal is to improve the assessment and management of the changing hydrological cycle to reduce water-related risks such as floods and droughts, increase water use efficiency, and help policymakers prepare for better water infrastructure management.

The call encourages projects that compare and demonstrate state-of-the-art tools for forecasting water resource availability at regional and local scales. Demonstrations should take place in diverse European regions, involving a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, technology providers, water utilities, businesses, investors, policymakers, and citizens. The call also emphasizes the importance of integrating social sciences and humanities (SSH), including gender studies, and citizen social science approaches to ensure that climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies are socially accepted and inclusive.

The call includes several specific topics, with budgets ranging from EUR 8,000,000 to EUR 18,000,000 per topic. The funding type is HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), and the application process involves two stages. The call is open to a wide range of applicants from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding provisions. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) may also participate in consortia.

In essence, this call is a significant opportunity for researchers, innovators, and stakeholders in the water sector to contribute to a more water-resilient Europe by developing and demonstrating innovative tools, strategies, and solutions for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change on water resources. The emphasis on collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and the integration of diverse perspectives underscores the importance of a holistic and inclusive approach to addressing the complex challenges facing the water sector.