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
Excessive soil salinity is a significant environmental issue in Europe, negatively impacting soil fertility, plant growth, soil biodiversity, the soil microbiome, and overall ecosystem functioning.
Climate change, coupled with increased evaporation and irrigation, is likely to exacerbate salinization, potentially leading to uncertain consequences for carbon storage and water cycling because of soil degradation induced by salinity.
Salinity is one of the descriptors in the proposal for a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience and is recognized as one of the major drivers of soil degradation. The extent of soil salinization in Europe remains uncertain.
Currently, there is no quantitative model capable of predicting future soil salinization in Europe under changing climate conditions at the resolution necessary for local management action and policy development.
Detailed Call Description
Proposed activities should:
- Investigate the relationship between soil salinity, vegetation, soil biodiversity and drought (climate conditions) across all relevant land use types, and in the specific case of agricultural lands also including the relationship between crop production, plant adaptation mechanisms and crop resilience.
- Develop a harmonised assessment of soil salinity in Europe. This should include integration of high-resolution remote sensing data (earth observation techniques) with quantification techniques to enhance spatial resolution and accuracy in soil salinity monitoring, harmonisation of laboratorial procedures and monitoring systems, and testing the feasibility of statistical methods to combine soil salinity data collected by different protocols.
- Develop a quantitative model to predict future soil salinization in Europe under changing climate conditions.
- Assess the impact of saltwater intrusion on soil salinity and soil health in coastal regions to gauge vulnerability within climate change and rising sea levels.
- Identify hotspots of soil salinization and areas at risk across Europe to inform policy formulation, action planning, and sustainable land management strategies.
- Formulate innovative land management strategies that address both mitigation and adaptation to soil salinization, in co-creation with relevant stakeholders.
Proposals should include dedicated tasks and appropriate resources for coordination measures and joint activities with other relevant projects and initiatives funded under the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, including engagement with the relevant cluster activities.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: €6.00 million.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
Eligibility for Participation
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- Legal Entities
- Local Authorities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
Address: 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Mr. Christakis Theocharous
Scientific Officer A’
Email: ctheocharous@research.org.cy
Mr. George Christou
Scientific Officer
Email: gchristou@research.org.cy