Systemic approaches to accelerate transformative change for biodiversity
Overview
This forthcoming Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (topic HORIZON-NATURE) supports systemic, transdisciplinary, multi-actor projects to accelerate transformative change for biodiversity. The single-stage call opens 13 October 2026 with a deadline of 14 January 2027, 17:00 Brussels time, and an indicative topic budget of €12 million with around €4 million expected per project (about 3 grants). Proposals must integrate social sciences and humanities, apply systems thinking and participatory co-design, pilot governance and behavioural interventions, and plan clustering with other projects and cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity. Funding is provided as Horizon lump sum grants and may include financial support to third parties only as grants (maximum €60,000 per third party and no more than 15% of the proposed EU budget).
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Highlights
Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society (HORIZON-NATURE-2027-01)
High-level summary
Research and innovation actions to apply systems thinking, behavioural and social sciences, culture and arts, and transdisciplinary methods to identify indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, map cross-actor relations and governance pathways, pilot interventions and co-designed solutions, and develop tools and guidance to scale nature-positive transformative change.
Who can apply:Multi-actor consortia (research organisations, universities, NGOs, public authorities, private sector, SMEs, cultural and creative sector actors) with strong SSH involvement; international cooperation and participation of outermost regions are encouraged.
- 1Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) — lump sum model
- 2Projects must apply a multi-actor approach and include social sciences and humanities expertise
- 3Proposals may include Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) up to 15% of the project budget; maximum grant per third party €60 000
| Opening date | 13 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline (Brussels time) | 14 January 2027, 17:00 |
| Topic budget and expected EU contribution per project | Topic contribution: €12 000 000 total; expected contribution per project around €4 000 000 1 |
| Indicative number of grants | Around 3 |
Proposals should cover one or more ecosystems (marine, freshwater, coastal, terrestrial), use empirical biodiversity data where relevant, include participatory and co-design approaches, plan clustering with related Horizon Europe projects, and allocate a dedicated work package and budget for common networking activities.
Apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Topic details.
Footnotes
- 1Budget figures and expected contribution per project are indicative and taken from the call overview on the Funding & Tenders Portal. See the topic page for final figures and guidance: Topic details.
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Breakdown
Call and administrative summary
Call title:Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society. Programme: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Horizontal Activities – Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society. Topic ID: HORIZON-NATURE. Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). Type of Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS). Submission procedure: single-stage. Planned opening date: 13 October 2026. Deadline: 14 January 2027, 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. Partner search facility available on the portal.
Indicative budget and expected contribution:Total indicative contribution listed for this topic across the call: €12 000 000. Indicative contribution per grant: around €4 000 000. Indicative number of grants expected: 3 (budget year 2026). Budget figures are indicative and subject to availability of appropriations.
Scope and expected outcomes
Overall objective:support systemic, transdisciplinary, multi-actor research and innovation to accelerate transformative change towards nature-positive outcomes, by combining systems thinking, behavioural sciences, social sciences and humanities, cultural and creative sectors, Indigenous and local knowledge, and empirical biodiversity data to design, pilot and evaluate interventions that change governance, incentives, norms, narratives, and practices across actors and sectors.
- 1Expected outcomes (proposals must contribute to all listed): policy and decision makers better equipped to integrate educational, cultural, societal and behavioural insights into biodiversity policy; institutional, business, financial and economic actors increase awareness of systemic effects of their interactions with ecosystems and value chains; improved mapping and understanding of cross-actor and cross-sectoral relationships and knowledge/decision-making pathways; transdisciplinary research communities (natural sciences, SSH, cultural and creative sectors) collaborate to identify indirect drivers of biodiversity-harming practices, leverage points and test evidence-based interventions with public and private actors.
Detailed scope requirements and activities (items below must be reflected in proposals where relevant):
- 1Identify and analyse implementation gaps for transformative change using systems approaches, behavioural sciences, SSH, culture and the arts, and build on diverse knowledge systems including Indigenous and local knowledge. Where relevant, underpin systemic analyses with empirical biodiversity data and ecosystem functioning indicators to ground interventions in measurable ecological outcomes.
- 2Analyse and map cross-actor and cross-sector relationships, worldviews, knowledge systems (including Indigenous/local knowledge), power dynamics, gender roles, governance and influence pathways, and how knowledge is produced, validated and mobilised across actor groups; identify how interactions drive or hinder transformative change.
- 3Anticipate and analyse how indirect drivers of biodiversity loss (demographic, socio-cultural, economic, technological, institutions and governance, conflicts and epidemics) interact with societal, economic and cultural values, affect intrinsic biodiversity values, access and perceptions of nature and behavioural change to identify leverage points for nature-positive interventions. Address biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution as interconnected crises.
- 4Design, pilot and evaluate approaches to shift governance arrangements, organisational and community routines and decision-making processes (examples: compliance, enforcement, investment and finance decisions, cost-benefit analysis, land/sea management, nature-based solutions, and communication strategies grounded in cultural and landscape values) for community and private sector benefit.
- 5Develop guidance, leveraging existing networks, data sets, digital platforms and monitoring tools to support adaptation, replication and scaling across sectors and regions; where relevant develop or synthesise indicators, models and tools to capture nature restoration contributions to systemic risk reduction.
- 6Optimise data usage and interoperability including standardised data formats to integrate biodiversity objectives with socio-economic outcomes and to facilitate integration into sectoral digital decision-support tools; where relevant support natural capital accounting and nature credit frameworks with metrics for additionality and permanence and incorporate participatory information.
- 7Support stakeholders (e.g., agriculture, fisheries, forestry) to align land/sea management, business models and trade with pathways to transformative change, addressing challenges such as meeting EU biodiversity targets, corporate sustainability and due diligence reporting; produce case studies that prioritise biodiversity while considering socio-economic realities, viability and competitiveness.
- 8Implement participatory and co-design approaches actively involving stakeholders in problem definition, solution design and validation.
- 9Cover one or more ecosystems (marine, coastal, freshwater and/or terrestrial). Apply a multi-actor approach and encouraged to include international cooperation and/or outermost regions. The effective contribution of SSH disciplines and experts is required.
- 10Include financial support to third parties (FSTP) if relevant, limited to a maximum of 15% of the EU proposed budget, and individual grants to third parties may not exceed €60 000 per third party unless otherwise stated in the Work Programme.
- 11Dedicate resources to clustering with Horizon Europe projects and other initiatives in the field, and participate in common networking and joint activities (common dissemination/communication strategy, common Data Management Strategy, common Policy Strategy, thematic workshops/trainings/working groups), and cooperate with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service.
Eligibility and formal conditions
Eligible countries:as described in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (generally EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries; some non-associated third countries may have specific provisions). Applicants must check Annex B and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for details. Multi-actor approach: proposals must apply the multi-actor approach as defined in the work programme. The topic is open to multi-actor consortia; the call allows participation of stakeholders from various sectors and may include international cooperation and outermost regions.
Applicant legal and organisational types:Eligible applicant types: research organisations, universities, higher education establishments, public bodies, NGOs, non-profit organisations, cultural and creative sector organisations, SMEs and large enterprises (private for-profit organisations), public-private partnerships, research infrastructures, and other legal entities established in eligible countries. Individual natural persons are not direct beneficiaries; projects are implemented by legal entities. Proposers should include SSH institutions and experts. Restrictions on participation for entities under certain external control may apply as described in General Annex B (for specific calls).
Admissibility:proposal page limits and layout follow Annex A and Annex E of the General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System. Use the application form template provided in the Submission System. Proposals missing mandatory elements or exceeding page limits risk inadmissibility.
Funding, legal and financial conditions
Funding type and model:European Union grant delivered under Horizon Europe RIA with lump sum contributions. Eligible costs are covered via lump sum as defined in the Decision authorising lump sums under Horizon Europe. Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is allowed in the form of grants only. The maximum amount per third party is €60 000 unless explicitly stated otherwise. Projects must respect the lump sum model and use the Detailed Budget Table (HE LS) and relevant guidance documents.
Co-funding and eligible cost rules:Co-funding: Horizon Europe grants typically do not require mandatory co-funding from beneficiaries beyond their in-kind or own contributions. Specific cost sharing and consortium contributions should be described in the proposal. Financial and operational capacity, exclusion grounds and other financial rules are described in Annex C and Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Programme Guide.
Evaluation, award and lifecycle
Evaluation and award:evaluation criteria, scoring and thresholds are defined in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. The evaluation and submission processes, timelines and indicative schedule for grant agreement preparation are described in Annex F and the Online Manual. This topic follows single-stage submission and evaluation. Applicants must use the standard evaluation form (HE RIA IA) with necessary adaptations. Projects selected for funding will be required to participate in clustering and common activities and dedicate a work package for cluster participation.
- 1Application stages: single-stage submission of full proposals via the Portal Submission System (1 stage).
- 2Evaluation stages: proposal evaluation by external experts following the standard HE RIA evaluation form; possible administrative checks and eligibility checks prior to scientific evaluation (overall 1 main stage with evaluation and ranking).
- 3Grant preparation: indicative timeline for grant agreement negotiations and signature follows Annex F; specific timelines depend on evaluation outcomes and Commission processes.
Success rates:not provided in the topic description. Indicative number of grants for this topic is around 3; success rate depends on number and quality of proposals submitted and overall budget availability; applicants should consider competition high for Horizon Europe RIA topics.
Project design, expected project stage and outputs
Project maturity:projects are Research and Innovation Actions focusing on research, transdisciplinary analysis, piloting and evaluation; expected project stages include research, development, validation and demonstration of governance and behavioural interventions and tools, and creation of guidance and data tools to enable scaling and replication. TRL specification: topic focuses on system-level, socio-ecological, governance and behavioural interventions rather than narrow technological TRLs; where technological tools are used, applicants must justify TRL and demonstrate appropriate readiness for piloting and scaling.
- 1Primary outputs: systemic analyses and maps of cross-actor interactions; pilot-tested interventions and evaluated approaches; data, indicators and tools (models, monitoring frameworks, digital decision-support integrations); guidance and replication toolkits; policy briefs and cluster-contributed dissemination outputs; case studies across ecosystems and sectors.
| Project features | Expectation |
|---|---|
| Ecosystems covered | Marine, coastal, freshwater and/or terrestrial (one or more) |
| Multi-actor requirement | Mandatory (definition in Work Programme Part) |
| SSH involvement | Mandatory and meaningful contribution required |
| FSTP allowed | Yes. Maximum 15% of proposed EU budget and max €60 000 per third party |
| Clustering | Mandatory participation in clustering with other funded projects and KCBD cooperation |
Application forms, templates and supporting documents
Applicants must use the application form available in the Submission System (Part A and Part B). Reference and template documents available in the Portal's Reference Documents section include: Standard application form (HE RIA IA), Standard evaluation form (HE RIA IA), Lump Sum MGA, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), Guidance: Lump sums - what do I need to know?, HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements and General Annexes (A to G). For proposals intending to use FSTP, applicants must include the completed information-on-FSTP template as an annex to Part B describing objectives, maximum amounts, calculation criteria, eligible activities, eligible recipients and selection criteria.
Structure to prepare the application (recommended outline):Follow the Part B application form. Suggested structure to ensure compliance with topic requirements: 1) Excellence: background, interdisciplinary state-of-the-art, gaps, link to IPBES findings, research questions and hypotheses, data sources (biodiversity/ecosystem indicators), and multi-actor approach description; 2) Impact: expected outcomes, contribution to policy/practice, business and financial actor engagement, scalability and replication strategy, planned cluster activities, policy briefs and KCBD engagement; 3) Implementation: detailed work packages including a dedicated clustering WP, FSTP WP if relevant, data management plan, ethical considerations, management and consortium composition (roles of SSH and natural science partners, stakeholder involvement), risk assessment and go/no-go decision points; 4) Resources and budget: lump sum breakdown, justification for FSTP allocation (max 15%), details on third party grants (max €60 000 each), and explanation of non-financial support to stakeholders.
Evaluation and award criteria (high level)
Evaluation criteria and scoring thresholds follow Annex D of the Horizon Europe General Annexes. Standard RIA criteria of Excellence, Impact and Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation are applied with standard thresholds. Proposals should align strongly with the topic-specific expected outcomes, demonstrate high scientific and transdisciplinary quality, credible impact pathways and implementation and adequate capacity and resources, including SSH, stakeholder engagement and data management.
Beneficiary scope and geographic eligibility
Geographic eligibility:legal entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Some non-associated third countries may also participate under specific arrangements; consult the Programme Guide and Annex B for the definitive list and conditions. International cooperation is encouraged where relevant and feasible.
Categorisation answers
- 1Eligible Applicant Types: universities and higher education establishments; research institutes and public research organisations; SMEs; large enterprises; non-profit organisations and NGOs; cultural and creative sector organisations; public bodies; public-private partnerships; research infrastructures. Individuals are not eligible as direct beneficiaries. Multi-actor consortia combining these actors are required.
- 2Funding Type: grant (EU grant under Horizon Europe), delivered as lump sum contributions. The topic allows financial support to third parties (sub-grants) limited to grants and with specific caps.
- 3Consortium Requirement: consortium/multi-actor approach required. The call expects multi-actor consortia; a single legal entity is generally not appropriate given the requirement for transdisciplinary and stakeholder engagement.
- 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries as defined in Annex B; international cooperation and participation of outermost regions are encouraged. Some non-associated third countries may need specific arrangements.
- 5Target Sector: biodiversity and environment primarily; cross-cutting sectors include agriculture, fisheries, forestry, land/sea management, finance and business, policy and governance, ICT and digital data platforms, cultural and creative sectors, social sciences and humanities (SSH), and climate/pollution interfaces.
- 6Mentioned Countries: none explicitly listed in the topic text. The region implied is the European Union and Horizon Europe Associated Countries; outermost regions and international cooperation are encouraged.
- 7Project Stage: research, development, validation and demonstration of governance/behavioural/organisational interventions; piloting and evaluation; development of guidance and tools for scaling and replication (maturity from research to demonstration/validation and early-stage implementation).
- 8Funding Amount: indicative EU contribution per project around €4 000 000 (topic budget €12 000 000; around 3 grants). Figures are indicative and subject to final budgets.
- 9Application Type: open single-stage call (open call) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. Planned opening 13 October 2026, deadline 14 January 2027.
- 10Nature of Support: monetary support in the form of grants (lump sum) to beneficiaries. Proposals may include financial support to third parties (grants) and will deliver non-monetary outputs (tools, guidance, capacity-building, scientific outputs).
- 11Application Stages: 1 main submission stage (single-stage submission) followed by evaluation and grant preparation stages; overall applicants pass through 1 submission and 1 evaluation stage to obtain the grant (plus administrative checks and grant preparation).
- 12Success Rates: not specified in the call. Indicative number of grants (3) vs unknown number of applicants implies competitive selection; historical Horizon Europe RIA success rates vary widely (commonly single-digit to low double-digit percent) depending on topic demand.
- 13Co-funding Requirement: no explicit mandatory co-funding required in the topic text; standard Horizon Europe rules apply. Applicants should check Annex C and the Programme Guide for financial capacity and any contribution expectations. FSTP allowed with caps as indicated.
- 14Templates: use the standard application form in the Submission System (Part A and Part B). Applicants must attach the Information on Financial Support to Third Parties template if FSTP is used, Detailed Budget Table (HE LS) for lump sum projects, and follow the Standard application form (HE RIA IA) structure. Evaluation form templates and Lump Sum MGA are provided in Reference Documents. Application structure recommended: Excellence, Impact, Implementation, Consortium, Data Management, Ethics, Dissemination & Exploitation including business/scale-up guidance and clustering WP.
References and mandatory cross-links:proposals should build on and contribute to IPBES findings and the IPBES Thematic Assessment on the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and determinants of transformative change, and cooperate closely with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service. The topic text references the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment and expects applicants to leverage such assessments and other relevant EU documents (Work Programme General Annexes, HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum Decision, etc.). KCBD 1
How to position a proposal (practical guidance highlights)
- 1Assemble a transdisciplinary consortium combining natural scientists, SSH experts, cultural/creative sector partners, stakeholders from target sectors (agriculture, fisheries, forestry, finance, local authorities, private sector), and user organisations for co-design and piloting.
- 2Demonstrate clear multi-actor engagement and co-design processes from the start, including governance of participatory activities and evidence of stakeholder buy-in or letters of intent where possible.
- 3Include robust biodiversity/ecosystem indicators and empirical data sources to ground behavioural and governance interventions in measurable ecological outcomes and provide a clear monitoring and evaluation framework.
- 4Allocate a dedicated work package and sufficient budget for clustering and joint activities with other Horizon Europe projects and for engagement with KCBD.
- 5If using FSTP, prepare the FSTP annex describing objectives, eligibility criteria, selection procedures and amounts (max €60 000 per third party) and ensure FSTP does not exceed 15% of the EU proposed budget.
- 6Provide a clear data management plan addressing data interoperability and standardisation, and explain how outputs will be integrated into sectoral decision-support tools and digital platforms.
- 7Present a credible pathway to policy uptake and practice change with measurable indicators of success, and include guidance for replication and scaling across regions and sectors.
Concluding summary
This Horizon Europe RIA topic invites multi-actor, transdisciplinary projects to apply systemic and behavioural approaches to accelerate transformative change for biodiversity. Projects must combine SSH, natural sciences, cultural sectors and stakeholder engagement to map cross-sectoral interactions, analyse indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, pilot governance and behavioural interventions, develop data tools and indicators, and produce guidance to replicate and scale nature-positive pathways. Funding is provided as EU grants under the lump sum model. Proposals must adhere to Horizon Europe General Annexes for eligibility, evaluation and financial rules, plan for clustering with other funded projects and contribute to policy-relevant outputs in cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity. Expected funding per project is around €4 million (indicative), with the call opening in October 2026 and a single-stage deadline on 14 January 2027.
Footnotes
- 1IPBES Transformative Change Assessment and related thematic assessments are key knowledge sources recommended in the topic. See IPBES publications and the thematic assessment on underlying causes of biodiversity loss for detailed conceptual framing. Access IPBES outputs via the IPBES website and cited resources.
Short Summary
Impact Accelerate systemic, nature-positive transformative change for biodiversity by changing governance, incentives, norms and practices across public, private and civil society actors so biodiversity, climate and pollution are addressed as interconnected crises. | Impact | Accelerate systemic, nature-positive transformative change for biodiversity by changing governance, incentives, norms and practices across public, private and civil society actors so biodiversity, climate and pollution are addressed as interconnected crises. |
Applicant Teams with transdisciplinary skills in systems thinking, social sciences and humanities (including behavioural science), ecological/biodiversity expertise, participatory co‑design and stakeholder engagement, data interoperability/management and policy impact pathways. | Applicant | Teams with transdisciplinary skills in systems thinking, social sciences and humanities (including behavioural science), ecological/biodiversity expertise, participatory co‑design and stakeholder engagement, data interoperability/management and policy impact pathways. |
Developments Design, pilot and evaluate governance and behavioural interventions and organisational routines; produce guidance, datasets, indicators, digital decision‑support tools and monitoring approaches to enable replication and scaling across sectors and ecosystems. | Developments | Design, pilot and evaluate governance and behavioural interventions and organisational routines; produce guidance, datasets, indicators, digital decision‑support tools and monitoring approaches to enable replication and scaling across sectors and ecosystems. |
Applicant Type Researchers, NGOs/non-profits, government organisations, profit SMEs/startups and large corporations. | Applicant Type | Researchers, NGOs/non-profits, government organisations, profit SMEs/startups and large corporations. |
Consortium A multi-actor, transdisciplinary consortium is required (multi-actor approach mandatory). | Consortium | A multi-actor, transdisciplinary consortium is required (multi-actor approach mandatory). |
Funding Amount Indicative EU contribution around €4,000,000 per project (total topic budget €12,000,000 for ~3 grants); financial support to third parties allowed up to 15% of project budget and max €60,000 per third party. | Funding Amount | Indicative EU contribution around €4,000,000 per project (total topic budget €12,000,000 for ~3 grants); financial support to third parties allowed up to 15% of project budget and max €60,000 per third party. |
Countries Entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible; international cooperation and participation of outermost regions are encouraged. | Countries | Entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible; international cooperation and participation of outermost regions are encouraged. |
Industry Horizon Europe (horizontal NATURE call) targeting biodiversity and environment with cross-cutting relevance to agriculture, fisheries, forestry, finance/business, policy/governance and cultural/creative sectors. | Industry | Horizon Europe (horizontal NATURE call) targeting biodiversity and environment with cross-cutting relevance to agriculture, fisheries, forestry, finance/business, policy/governance and cultural/creative sectors. |
Additional Web Data
This is a forthcoming Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action under the call Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society, topic HORIZON-NATURE. The deadline is 14 January 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time, and the topic budget is €12 million with around €4 million expected per project and about 3 grants anticipated.23
Key facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Programme | Horizon Europe1 |
| Call title | Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society1 |
| Topic code | HORIZON-NATURE1 |
| Action type | HORIZON-RIA Research and Innovation Action1 |
| Grant type | Horizon Lump Sum Grant1 |
| Submission model | Single-stage1 |
| Planned opening date | 13 October 2026 |
| Deadline | 14 January 2027, 17:00 Brussels time23 |
| Indicative topic budget | €12 million23 |
| Expected EU contribution per project | Around €4 million23 |
| Indicative number of grants | 323 |
| Status | Forthcoming1 |
What the funding is about
The topic funds research and innovation that helps public, private, and civil society actors accelerate transformative change for biodiversity by using systems thinking, behavioural science, social sciences and humanities, and participatory co-design. The expected focus is on improving policy, governance, decision making, and stakeholder practices so that biodiversity, climate change, and pollution are addressed as interconnected crises.1
Who can apply
Applicants must meet the Horizon Europe eligibility rules in Annex B, and the topic specifically requires a multi actor approach. The call also expects effective SSH involvement, meaning social sciences and humanities expertise must be integrated in a meaningful way, and it encourages international cooperation and participation of outermost regions where relevant.1
Main applicant profile:The strongest proposals will usually be transdisciplinary consortia that combine research organisations, policy actors, business or financial stakeholders, community or civil society partners, and other relevant practitioners able to co design, test, and validate interventions.1
What proposals should deliver
- 1Identify and analyse implementation gaps in transformative change for biodiversity through a systems approach, including behavioural science, SSH, culture, the arts, and where relevant Indigenous and local knowledge.1
- 2Map cross actor and cross sector relationships, worldviews, knowledge systems, power dynamics, gender roles, governance pathways, and how knowledge is produced, validated, and mobilised across actor groups.1
- 3Analyse indirect drivers of biodiversity loss and their interactions with societal, economic, and cultural values in order to identify leverage points for transformative, nature positive change.1
- 4Design, pilot, and evaluate approaches that change governance arrangements, organisational routines, community routines, and decision making processes across public and private sectors.1
- 5Develop guidance, data sets, digital tools, monitoring approaches, indicators, models, or other resources that support adaptation, replication, and scaling across sectors and regions.1
- 6Support stakeholders in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and related sectors to align land and sea management, business models, and trade interactions with transformative change pathways, including challenges linked to EU biodiversity targets and corporate due diligence reporting.1
- 7Build on and contribute to IPBES findings, including the assessment of underlying causes of biodiversity loss and determinants of transformative change.1
- 8Participate in clustering activities, joint networking, common dissemination, data management and policy work, and cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity.1
Funding conditions and practical constraints
The topic allows financial support to third parties, but only in the form of grants, with a maximum of €60 000 per third party. In addition, no more than 15 percent of the EU proposed budget should be allocated to financial support to third parties.1
Eligible costs are provided as a lump sum, so applicants should plan their budget, work packages, and deliverables with that funding model in mind. The general Horizon Europe annexes apply for admissibility, financial and operational capacity, evaluation, procedure, and legal and financial set up.1
Applicant priorities
- Show a credible systems based approach that connects biodiversity science with behavioural and governance change.1
- Demonstrate real stakeholder co design rather than consultation only.1
- Include a clear plan for evidence based interventions, measurable ecological relevance, and pathways to scaling across sectors or regions.1
- Reserve sufficient resources for clustering, joint policy outputs, and coordination with other Horizon Europe biodiversity projects.1
Overall assessment
This is a strategic biodiversity transition topic rather than a narrow research grant. Applicants should position proposals as multi actor, transdisciplinary interventions that can inform policy, change organisational practice, and generate reusable methods, guidance, and tools for large scale transformative change.1
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