ExpectedOutcome:
Projects are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:
This topic relates to the Mission’s first and second objective: i) preparing and planning for climate resilience and the need for a better understanding of climate change related risks and ii) supporting at least 150 European regions and communities in developing their vision of a climate-resilient future and innovation pathways to reach it.
The successful proposal will develop new technologies addressing access to key climate data and information services; such technologies will use improved user-defined and user-friendly tools tailored to regional and community level applications for adaptation to climate change able to build climate resilience in all sectors/services involved; the focus will be on case-specific climatological and physical conditions critical for the areas mentioned in the Mission Implementation Plan[5].
Therefore, proposals[6] should address all of the following:
Priority should be given to regions or communities with high vulnerability[11], limited resources and/or low adaptive capacity[12] to climate change impacts. Demand for this type of services could be higher than what can be supplied within the limits of this action. Therefore proposals to this call should present the process and criteria how the target regions and communities are identified. These criteria will ensure that a variety of locations are represented, in as many countries as possible, reflecting the diversity in climatic risks in Europe, as well as differences in socio-economic and demographic conditions, and in approaches to mitigating such risks. Such criteria should also take into account the characteristics of the populations concerned and the vulnerability of the locations, as well as the priority attributed by national and regional governments. Consultation of national and regional governments in selecting the regions and communities is recommended (for example, by providing a letter of support by the relevant authorities as an annex to the proposal).
Dedicated activities should be included for facilitating replication in further regions/communities.
In line with the overall principles of the Mission, proposals should take in full consideration the local dimension of climate change and climate adaptation strategies, clarify how they would ensure a meaningful engagement with local communities as well as stakeholders to ensure, among others, the mobilization of local knowledge, and outline how they would contribute to achieving a just transition to climate resilience
This topic requires the effective contribution of Social Science and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
The European Commission intends to establish a network and coordination activities amongst all the projects funded for the implementation of the Climate adaptation Mission, under the Horizon 2020 European Green Deal call and under Horizon Europe relevant for adaptation, and that will be coordinated by the soon to be established Mission Implementation Platform. These networking and joint activities could, for example, involve the participation in joint workshops, the exchange of knowledge, the development and adoption of best practices, or joint communication activities. The project under this topic will be requested to contribute to this effort. Applicants should acknowledge this request and already account for these obligations in their proposal, making adequate provisions in terms of resources and budget to engage and collaborate with the Mission governance.
Cross-cutting Priorities:Social sciences and humanities
Digital Agenda
[1] https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/#!/home
[2]GEOSS: Global Earth Observation System of Systems (earthobservations.org)
[4]As defined by the Mission Implementation Plan https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/funding/documents/climat_mission_implementation_plan_final_for_publication.pdf and in the FAQ published http://here:https://ec.europa.eu/info/events/information-session-mission-adaptation-climate-change-2021-nov-23_en
[5]Ecosystems and nature-based solutions, land use and food systems, water management, critical infrastructure, health and human wellbeing, and local economic systems (pages 7-9 of the Implementation Plan) https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/funding/documents/climat_mission_implementation_plan_final_for_publication.pdf
[6]Possible participants: experts from a variety of sectors (private, public, academia) with experience on the services to be provided by the topic. National, regional or local authorities are encouraged to be part of the consortium.
[7] Ecosystems and nature-based solutions, land use and food systems, water management, critical infrastructure, health and human wellbeing, and local economic systems. Implementation plan : https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/funding/documents/climat_mission_implementation_plan_final_for_publication.pdf
[8] Namely topic HORIZON-MISS-2021-CLIMA-02-01 “Development of climate change risk assessments in European regions and communities …” and HORIZON-MISS-2021-CLIMA-02-03 “Towards asset level modelling of climate risks and adaptation”
[9] The Sectoral Information System (SIS) component of C3S transforms the climate data contained in the CDS and tailors it to the requirements of users, with a specific focus on intermediaries and policy makers. C3S has engaged with various sectors and showed how the CDS infrastructures could be used to address the needs of users, see fact sheets at https://climate.copernicus.eu/c3s-multimedia.
[10]Commission Notice C(2021) 5430 final of 29.7.2021: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/sites/default/files/adaptation/what/docs/climate_proofing_guidance_en.pdf and https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3943
[11]Vulnerability is the propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected. Vulnerability encompasses a variety of concepts and elements including sensitivity or susceptibility to harm and lack of capacity to cope and adapt (IPCC, 2018 – SR Global Warming of 1.5 ºC).
[12]Adaptive capacity is the ability of systems, institutions, humans and other organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences (IPCC, 2018 – SR Global Warming of 1.5 ºC).