European Blue Parks – Protection and restoration solutions for degraded coastal and marine habitats
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Proposals under this topic will address the degradation of coastal and marine habitats, including degraded seabed habitats and will develop and demonstrate protection and restoration solutions to upgrade and enhance the EU’s blue natural capital.
Innovation actions have to show the potential to be up-scaled and reproduced at European level and beyond.
Detailed Call Description
The proposals should also address the creation and long term maintenance of adequate conditions for habitats and/or for the movement of species and more generally, for increasing nature’s capacity to adapt to climate change.
The proposed innovation actions for the Blue Parks will seek the most effective and efficient protection and restoration measures, tailored to the specific biogeographical area or marine region. Activities leading to the creation of protected areas should concentrate on areas of high biodiversity value or potential and be consistent with the EU Guidance to Members States on the designation of additional protected or strictly protected.
The involvement of national and local authorities and coastal communities will be required in order to ensure that the solutions designed are best suited, co-created and with the necessary ownership for their successful implementation. Citizen engagement is a pillar concept for the Mission and a key element in relation to conservation and restoration actions. Activities should, therefore, use innovative co-creation management practices and awareness-raising actions to promote a proactive involvement of local communities including land and sea use planners, Marine Protected Area managers, and other stakeholders, in order to allowing for co-creation of solutions.
Awareness raising actions to inspire and generate co-ownership for protection of local habitat and biodiversity should be included as well as partnerships and coalitions with existing initiatives. Proposals could include blue reforestation activities with suitable aquatic plants in degraded habitats. Citizen engagement related activities should also be gender-responsive and socially inclusive.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
EU contribution per project: €8,50 million
Thematic Categories
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Large Enterprises
- Local Authorities
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia
P.O.Box 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Phone Number: +357 22205000
Email Address: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Ms Constantina Makri
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 054
Contact Email: cmakri@research.org.cy
Ms Katerina Karakasidou
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 036
Contact Email: kkarakasidou@research.org.cy
(Publish Date: 13/05/2022-for internal use only)
EU Contact Point
European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/research-and-innovation_en#contact