Strengthening pathways to alternative socio-economic models for continuous improvement of biodiversity
Horizon Europe Cluster 6 – Destination Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
17/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the Strengthening pathways to alternative socio-economic models for continuous improvement of biodiversity Call?
Grant Description
This research and innovation action supports the development, analysis and piloting of alternative socio-economic models to restore and protect biodiversity across Europe. It aims to generate new knowledge, valuation methods, governance and financing strategies (including generative artificial intelligence applications), co-design pathways with stakeholders, identify and overcome barriers, build capacity, pilot tools and disseminate actionable recommendations to drive transformative change in li...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Successful projects will deliver:
• New knowledge and accelerated pathways to deploy best-available alternative socio-economic models, encompassing adaptive legislative, governance, education and financing strategies; demonstrating potential uses of Generative AI in research.
• Synthesised, systematised, prioritised knowledge for policy-makers and strategic decision-makers on models that integrate biodiversity and nature values, including standardised valuation methods, tools and innovative market and governance instruments, with environmental, social and ethical safeguards to ensure continuous biodiversity improvement and community climate resilience.
• Information, assessment strategies, tools and metrics fully integrated into socio-economic analytical frameworks, allowing decision-makers to monitor and adapt biodiversity and climate resilience outcomes over short, medium and long-term horizons.
• Co-designed implementation pathways and participatory scenarios tailored to diverse ecosystems and regions, ready for uptake by end users.
• Demonstration of scalable strategies, scenario methods, instruments and participatory processes, validated through pilot applications and stakeholder feedback.
• Actionable recommendations, empowerment tools and policy guidance disseminated at EU, national and international levels, fostering synergies with Green Deal policies and global biodiversity commitments.
• Evidence-based analysis of traditional economic models’ contributions to biodiversity loss, climate change and socio-economic inequities, plus pragmatic actions and justice-oriented strategies to address root causes.
• Strengthened capacity and networks across research, policy and civil society, promoting transformative, nature-positive transitions aligned with the EU Biodiversity Strategy and GBF targets.
• New knowledge and accelerated pathways to deploy best-available alternative socio-economic models, encompassing adaptive legislative, governance, education and financing strategies; demonstrating potential uses of Generative AI in research.
• Synthesised, systematised, prioritised knowledge for policy-makers and strategic decision-makers on models that integrate biodiversity and nature values, including standardised valuation methods, tools and innovative market and governance instruments, with environmental, social and ethical safeguards to ensure continuous biodiversity improvement and community climate resilience.
• Information, assessment strategies, tools and metrics fully integrated into socio-economic analytical frameworks, allowing decision-makers to monitor and adapt biodiversity and climate resilience outcomes over short, medium and long-term horizons.
• Co-designed implementation pathways and participatory scenarios tailored to diverse ecosystems and regions, ready for uptake by end users.
• Demonstration of scalable strategies, scenario methods, instruments and participatory processes, validated through pilot applications and stakeholder feedback.
• Actionable recommendations, empowerment tools and policy guidance disseminated at EU, national and international levels, fostering synergies with Green Deal policies and global biodiversity commitments.
• Evidence-based analysis of traditional economic models’ contributions to biodiversity loss, climate change and socio-economic inequities, plus pragmatic actions and justice-oriented strategies to address root causes.
• Strengthened capacity and networks across research, policy and civil society, promoting transformative, nature-positive transitions aligned with the EU Biodiversity Strategy and GBF targets.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must:
• Directly address the analysis, development, piloting and upscaling of alternative socio-economic models that integrate biodiversity restoration and protection, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Nature Restoration Regulation, GBF and relevant SDGs.
• Incorporate both quantitative and qualitative research methods, with optional application of Generative AI to integrate new socio-economic data and enhance model interpretation.
• Focus on transformative change towards a nature-positive society, ensuring social equity, community well-being and climate resilience (adaptation and mitigation).
• Cover multiple time horizons (short: up to 1 year; medium; long: 5+ years) within socio-economic analytical frameworks, representing quantitative and qualitative social and economic variables.
• Address specific challenges of different ecosystems and vulnerable communities (agriculture, forestry, rural areas, socio-economically disadvantaged groups).
• Integrate ethical, environmental, social and governance safeguards (e.g., non-deterioration principle) throughout project lifecycles.
• Ensure interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, with active contributions from social sciences, humanities (economics, sociology, educational science) and relevant natural sciences.
• Apply a multi-actor approach, actively involving policy-makers, stakeholders and citizens in co-creation, co-design and validation processes.
• Plan for clustering and synergies with existing Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects, and cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity, Bio Agora and other relevant EU partnerships and missions.
• Demonstrate clear pathways for dissemination and exploitation of results at EU, Member State and global levels.
• Directly address the analysis, development, piloting and upscaling of alternative socio-economic models that integrate biodiversity restoration and protection, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Nature Restoration Regulation, GBF and relevant SDGs.
• Incorporate both quantitative and qualitative research methods, with optional application of Generative AI to integrate new socio-economic data and enhance model interpretation.
• Focus on transformative change towards a nature-positive society, ensuring social equity, community well-being and climate resilience (adaptation and mitigation).
• Cover multiple time horizons (short: up to 1 year; medium; long: 5+ years) within socio-economic analytical frameworks, representing quantitative and qualitative social and economic variables.
• Address specific challenges of different ecosystems and vulnerable communities (agriculture, forestry, rural areas, socio-economically disadvantaged groups).
• Integrate ethical, environmental, social and governance safeguards (e.g., non-deterioration principle) throughout project lifecycles.
• Ensure interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, with active contributions from social sciences, humanities (economics, sociology, educational science) and relevant natural sciences.
• Apply a multi-actor approach, actively involving policy-makers, stakeholders and citizens in co-creation, co-design and validation processes.
• Plan for clustering and synergies with existing Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects, and cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity, Bio Agora and other relevant EU partnerships and missions.
• Demonstrate clear pathways for dissemination and exploitation of results at EU, Member State and global levels.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
- Action type: Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA), budget-based MGA, single-stage procedure.
• Submission deadline: 17 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time; opening date: 6 May 2025.
• Mandatory multi-actor approach as defined in Work Programme Part “Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment”.
• Eligible participants: entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries (Annex B); third-country participation subject to specific funding provisions.
• Proposals must comply with General Annexes A–G (admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, legal and financial set-up).
• Interdisciplinary consortium including SSH disciplines; gender and diversity considerations to ensure socially just transition.
• Cooperation with EU bodies and initiatives: EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD), Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD), Bio Agora, Biodiversa+ Partnership, JRC competence centres, relevant EU Missions (Soil Deal, Ocean Restoration).
• Plans must include clustering activities, resource allocation for joint workshops, data sharing and joint communication with relevant projects.
• Proposals should outline ethical review processes and data management plans aligned with Horizon Europe guidelines.
• Budget indicative for the topic: EUR 22 million; expected number of grants: ~2; individual project budgets approx. EUR 11 million each.
• Submission deadline: 17 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time; opening date: 6 May 2025.
• Mandatory multi-actor approach as defined in Work Programme Part “Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment”.
• Eligible participants: entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries (Annex B); third-country participation subject to specific funding provisions.
• Proposals must comply with General Annexes A–G (admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, legal and financial set-up).
• Interdisciplinary consortium including SSH disciplines; gender and diversity considerations to ensure socially just transition.
• Cooperation with EU bodies and initiatives: EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD), Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD), Bio Agora, Biodiversa+ Partnership, JRC competence centres, relevant EU Missions (Soil Deal, Ocean Restoration).
• Plans must include clustering activities, resource allocation for joint workshops, data sharing and joint communication with relevant projects.
• Proposals should outline ethical review processes and data management plans aligned with Horizon Europe guidelines.
• Budget indicative for the topic: EUR 22 million; expected number of grants: ~2; individual project budgets approx. EUR 11 million each.
Important dates
Open from: 06/05/2025
Deadline:17/09/2025
Application period has ended
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