Cost-effective biodiversity monitoring for EU policies

Develop and demonstrate scalable biodiversity-monitoring methods for one of three areas: pollinators under nature-restoration rules, soil biodiversity, or aquatic monitoring under the Water Framework Directive. Projects combine technologies with end-user needs, compare scalability and limitations, and improve genomic identification methods and DNA reference libraries. Automated or real-time monitoring using AI is envisaged where appropriate. The work should turn promising methods into practical, more accurate and economical monitoring schemes for European environmental policy.

The single-stage proposal deadline is 14 January 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time. The expected EU contribution is EUR 5–6 million per project; proposals requesting different amounts may be considered.

An institutional consortium must include at least three independent legal entities in three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries, with at least one established in an EU Member State. Other partners and their funding eligibility follow Annex B. Projects using satellite Earth-observation, positioning, navigation or timing services must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS; additional services may also be used. Applications are submitted by eligible organisations. Participant registration, applicable institutional gender-equality requirements and the remaining General Annex B conditions apply.