Grants

The grant aims to foster adaptive co-management approaches to reconcile fisheries with environmental sustainability, ensuring the long-term viability of both marine and/or freshwater ecosystems and local livelihoods. Projects should empower fishers, including small-scale and recreational fishers, and actively engage them in the co-management, conservation, and restoration of marine and freshwater ecosystems and resources. Activities should include ecological monitoring, demonstration of sustainable science-based co-management solutions, and measures such as habitat restoration, prevention of invasive species, sustainable fishing technologies, and citizen science. Proposals must address one specific basin and demonstrate outcomes at least in 5 sites across 3 different countries. Expected results include measurable improvements in habitats and species, sustainable fishing practices, socio-economic benefits for local communities, enhanced governance, and improved cross-border data coordination.

The grant supports the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the Preparedness Union Strategy, and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. It aims to facilitate interaction and strengthen collaboration between Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management actors at European, national, and regional scales. Successful proposals will enhance knowledge and understanding of common aspects of disaster risk management preparedness and climate adaptation, align terminology and understanding of risks and solutions, and promote local resilience to climate change. Projects should foster transdisciplinary approaches, produce guidelines for regional and local authorities, disseminate joint knowledge, map relevant stakeholders, and organize European Climate Change Adaptation Conferences in 2028 and 2030.

This grant aims to support the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the forthcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Projects should systematically identify, assess, and structure actionable solutions from the Mission and other related initiatives to support their uptake by regional and local authorities across Europe. The objective is to ensure that research and innovation results are transformed into accessible, multilingual solutions, ready for replication and upscaling, as well as to inform policy at EU, national, and regional/local levels. The grant emphasizes collaboration with the Mission Implementation Platform, the Mission secretariat, National Hubs, and other EU projects to maximize dissemination and effective knowledge transfer until the end of 2030.

This grant supports multi-level governance for climate adaptation in the EU by engaging and mobilizing national, regional, and local stakeholders. Projects funded under this action will establish adaptable National Adaptation Hubs to facilitate coordination between different levels of governance, dissemination of solutions, peer learning, and implementation of climate adaptation strategies. Activities aim to further develop and update adaptation plans, foster collaboration, and bridge gaps between EU, national, and local authorities.

This grant aims to establish or expand an integrated European network of operators of physical and digital twin-based testing sites for ocean technologies. The goal is to provide harmonized access, accelerate innovation cycles, reduce development and market-entry costs and risks, and support European leadership in ocean technologies by improving access to testing, validation, and demonstration facilities across various marine environments. The initiative focuses on facilitating collaboration between industry, research institutions, and regulators to address gaps, support skill development, and ensure long-term sustainability of ocean technology testing infrastructures while considering the sensitivity of marine ecosystems.

This grant aims to establish regional components within the EU Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) core infrastructure (EDITO), supporting the development of local digital twin applications tailored to the unique priorities of regional stakeholder communities. Projects will aggregate regional data and digital twin assets, develop regional digital twin services for policy and Blue Economy challenges, engage stakeholders, promote adoption of innovative AI and big data methods, and create what-if-scenarios to support monitoring and sustainable management of regional seas.

This grant supports implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy and the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. Its purpose is to facilitate local climate adaptation actions by combining public grant funding with private financing (notably via bank loans), overcoming barriers, and enabling demonstration of such funding mechanisms. It encourages collaboration among local actors, financing sector, public grant authorities, and specifically promotes the mobilization of National Promotional Banks (NPBs) and EIB intermediated lending.

This grant aims to engage and support relevant public authorities in large-scale mapping of marine habitats to facilitate the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) and achieve objectives of the Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters.' Projects should map and assess the condition of coastal and marine habitats listed in Annex II of the NRR, determine priority areas for restoration, and prepare or update national restoration plans. Demonstration activities must take place in at least four large areas in one basin-scale 'lighthouse,' addressing gaps in monitoring and coverage. Projects are expected to build on the latest operational knowledge, technologies, and EU-funded research, contribute to EMODnet, and promote replication and upscaling across regions.

This grant aims to directly engage and support public authorities and other relevant socio-economic actors in addressing aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss. The goal is to demonstrate and accelerate transitions needed for achieving the objectives of the Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters'. Projects funded will support Member States and Associated Countries in accessing and deploying nature-positive solutions to address pollution from nutrients, chemicals, plastics, and microplastics, while protecting and restoring ecosystem capacity and resilience. Actions include demonstrating effective, scalable solutions, monitoring progress, enabling replication, and fostering collaborations across EU regions to reduce pollution and benefit society.