ExpectedOutcome:
This topic aims to support the development of policies, business models and market conditions to scale up and speed up the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS)[1]. It will contribute to deploying NBS more widely and to fully reaping their economic, social and environmental benefits in order to build a competitive sustainability in Europe and to tackle climate change. NBS contribute to the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 and other Green Deal priorities, by supporting biodiversity and vital ecosystem services: climate change mitigation and improving carbon sinks, biomass provision, access to fresh water, clean soil, healthy diets and lifestyles and sustainable food systems. Deploying NBS will also create green jobs and build resilience to climate change and natural disasters.
Successful proposals must contribute to all following expected outcomes:
Nature-based solutions (NBS) deliver multiple ecosystem services to address diverse societal challenges with a systemic and innovative approach. An effective multi-stakeholder platform is needed to support and consolidate the understanding of NBS and to promote their use and speed up market up-take and wider implementation.
Such a platform enables: a) dialogue, interactions, knowledge and information sharing; b) integration of EU project results and platforms; and c) collaboration and think-and-do-tanks among relevant stakeholders (science, public administration, professional organizations, businesses and investors, civil society).
NetworkNature[2], a CSA funded under Horizon 2020’s Societal Challenge 5 (WP 2019) that is due to end in 2022, is in the process of creating this platform. The Oppla[3] portal is developing the underlying EU NBS knowledge repository, supporting access, sharing NBS knowledge more widely, including from EU-funded NBS projects, to already engaged and new target audiences, such as the finance and investment sector and the wider public.
This topic aims to maintain and build upon the achievements of NetworkNature and Oppla. The successful proposal should further develop and consolidate an engaged, broad and effective European community of innovators, practitioners and developers to promote the design, deployment, out- and up-scaling of NBS at the European and global scale, while recognising regional and national specificities, contexts and needs.
The successful proposal should undertake continuous and strategically driven stakeholder dialogue and facilitate sharing of practice, experience and expertise related to all NBS-relevant aspects, across multiple scales and sectors. Actions should cover social, economic, financial, environmental, educational, institutional, regulatory and cultural aspects; in particular:
The proposals must address all of the above points and should ensure that all evidence and information will be accessible through the Oppla portal (the EU repository for NBS)[3].
Applicants should create links with projects under the same topic and other relevant ongoing or up-coming projects, notably the Horizon 2020 NBS project portfolio and its task forces; ‘HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-05: The economics of nature-based solutions: cost-benefit analysis, market development and funding’; ‘HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-06: Nature-based solutions, prevention and reduction of risks and the insurance sector’; ‘HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01-05: Assessing the socio-politics of nature-based solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities’; ‘HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-02-02-two-stage: Developing nature-based therapy for health and well-being’; ‘HORIZON-CL6-2021-COMMUNITIES-01-06: Inside and outside: educational innovation with nature-based solutions’. To this end, proposals should include specific tasks and sufficient resources for coordination measures, envisage joint activities and joint deliverables.
Collaboration with the Biodiversity Partnership (HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-02-01) is expected in the context of strengthening the knowledge base for assessing, developing and deploying nature-based solutions.
This topic should involve the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities disciplines.
Cross-cutting Priorities:Artificial Intelligence
Digital Agenda
International Cooperation
Societal Engagement
Africa
Social Innovation
Social sciences and humanities
New European Bauhaus
Ocean sustainability and blue economy
EOSC and FAIR data
[1]As defined by the European Commission: Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions. Hence, nature-based solutions must benefit biodiversity and support the delivery of a range of ecosystem services. In https://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/index.cfm?pg=nbs.
[2]https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/887396/.
[4]Synergies should be considered with HORIZON-CL6-2021-COMMUNITIES-01-06: Inside and outside: educational innovation with nature-based solutions.