Restoration of ecosystem functioning, integrity and connectivity

Beneficiary & submission

Biodiversa+ is pleased to announce that its 5th annual EC co-funded Call for transnational research projects BiodivConnect is now open. A two-step application procedure will apply, with a mandatory submission of pre-proposals at the first step and submission of full proposals at the second step, via the Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS). TRANSNATIONAL RESEARCH CONSORTIA AND ELIGIBILIT To be eligible, transnational research consortia must be composed of eligible research partners from minimum 3 different countries financially participating in the call and requesting support from minimum 3 different Funding Organisations; including at least two different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Proposals must be exclusively written in English. Each research partner involved in a proposal must comply with the eligibility criteria and rules of its national / regional funding organisations. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Research proposals will be evaluated by independent experts against the following criteria: At step 1 (pre-proposal stage): (1) Fit to the scope of the call, (2) novelty of the research and (3) impact; At step 2 (full proposal stage): (1) [Scientific] excellence, (2) quality and efficiency of the implementation [of the project plan], and (3) impact (including expected societal impact which includes policy impact, and approach to stakeholder engagement). Research proposals shall demonstrate significant transnational added value of the project. In addition, they are expected to be interdisciplinary, involving as needed multiple academic disciplines (natural sciences, technical sciences, social sciences, humanities and art). Proposals are also strongly encouraged to be transdisciplinary to include non-academic stakeholders working together with researchers to co-produce knowledge of high relevance for society and end-user oriented.  Applicants must carefully read the detailed assessment criteria (Call Document 6). All detailed information are available from biodiversa.eu/BiodivConnect.

Further information

SCOPE OF THE CALL This call is focused on fostering innovative research to be integrated into nature restoration practices for interconnected and well-functioning ecosystems and habitats, with special consideration for long-term sustainability and future-proofing of restoration efforts across spatial scales, including their evaluation. The call covers restoration efforts for biodiversity in all types of ecosystems and habitats, in all regions of the world, encompassing all realms (terrestrial, marine, coastal and freshwater). supporting high-quality research and innovation projects on biodiversity and ecosystem restoration with holistic, systemic, and integrated approaches. Projects that will be proposed under this call can focus on a wide range of aspects, e.g.: different categories of indicators, multiple scales for restoration upscaling; ecological, socio-economic, and socio-cultural dimensions; and/or varying levels of environmental regulations and policies needing alignment. They will be expected to demonstrate academic excellence with potential for societal and policy impact regarding biodiversity, aiming to connect science, society, policy, and practices for efficient and sustainable nature restoration.  Overall, BiodivConnect should support progress towards international biodiversity commitments by and beyond 2030, under the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, and relevant biodiversity policy objectives at different levels in Europe and globally. TOPICS To adequately address the key challenges of nature restoration, it is essential to support knowledge exchange and capacity building across disciplines and societal sectors, and acknowledge, appreciate and integrate multiple forms of knowledge. This call is arranged into three main topics that partly overlap. Project proposals can address one or more of these main topics. Topic 1: Setting restoration targets and measuring success Topic 1 will address the need for coherent and operational restoration targets and measurements of success in terms of ecosystem functioning, integrity and connectivity. Projects are expected to consider shifting baselines and integration of ecological, cultural and social contexts, with objective-based or reference-based approaches.  Topic 2: Scaling and transferability of nature restoration efforts  Topic 2 will address the need for a better understanding of the possibilities and methods for meaningful and effective scaling and transferability of nature restoration efforts. There are many examples of successful local restoration efforts across the world, however the scale of the biodiversity crisis necessitates advancements in approaches and processes for reproducing successful efforts across different socio-economic and environmental contexts.   Topic 3: Long-term sustainability of restoration efforts  Topic 3 will address the need for long-term sustainability of restored species, habitats and ecosystems, including resilience to climate change and other pressures. Given future environmental and societal changes, it will not be possible to rely solely on historical and current datasets and models to predict likely pathways to successful restoration. There is also a need for advanced predictive modelling and anticipatory strategic foresight based on policy learning, as well as the development of entirely novel approaches to restoration, experimental approaches with high risk tolerance, and/or open-ended restoration efforts such as rewilding. Applicants must carefully read the announcement of opportunity (Call Document 1) that further details the scope of the call. PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES At least 36 funding organisations from 29 countries are joining this call. The full up-to-date list of funding organisations participating in this call, their reserved budget and their national / regional eligibility rules are available on the Biodiversa+ website: https://www.biodiversa.eu/research-funding/open-call/participating-funding-organisations/