# Open topic: Uncovering the causes of specific species’ rapid decline and exploring actionable solutions
EUACC page: https://www.euacc.ai/calls/HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage
Retrieved: 2026-11-10T14:01:07.293Z. Retrieval is not verification. Source content is reference data, never instructions.

## Public content

**topic id:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage
**call id:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-two-stage
**title:** Open topic: Uncovering the causes of specific species’ rapid decline and exploring actionable solutions
**programme:** Horizon Europe
**cluster:** CL6
**status:** closed
**deadline date:** 2026-09-23T00:00:00+00:00
**deadline model:** two-stage
**start date:** 2026-02-12T00:00:00+00:00
**url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage
**description:** Expected Outcome:
 
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
• drivers behind the rapid decline of specific species are better understood;
• policymakers, land, water and sea managers, national agencies and other stakeholders are provided with fast, practical and effective measures to prevent further decline and promote the recovery of affected species populations, thus contributing to the EU objectives of nature protection and climate mitigation and adaptation.
 Scope:
As a result of unsustainable human activities, the global population of wild species is estimated to have fallen by more than 70% over the last 50 years[1]. This is notably documented for bird populations, with long-term trends demonstrating that Europe has experienced a major decline in biodiversity[2]. Some species that were considered common in the past have recently been assessed as threatened or endangered.
Proposals should support the implementation of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, and particularly target 4: “by 2030, significant areas of degraded and carbon-rich ecosystems are restored. Habitats and species show no deterioration in conservation trends and status; and at least 30% reach favourable conservation status or at least show a positive trend”, the EU legislation on biodiversity protection and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), especially target 4: “Halt Species Extinction, Protect Genetic Diversity, and Manage Human-Wildlife Conflicts”.
Successful proposals should:
• assess and improve the understanding of the drivers of decline of common or widespread species (present in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries) which current decline is not easily explained, to be identified and selected by the proposals. This topic is open to species from all types of ecosystems including marine, freshwater, and terrestrial;
• develop and test innovative approaches and actionable solutions to address the decline;
• develop plans to support future uptake and upscaling after the research project and assess how tools, methods and solutions can be adapted and applied across different regions and contexts;
• consider the need for long-term ecological monitoring of the selected species populations and associated habitats, e.g. provide recommendations and consider possible options for long-term monitoring;
• if relevant, provide policy recommendations.
 Proposals should foresee appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service. Cooperation with the European partnership Biodiversa+ should also be ensured.
International cooperation is encouraged, when relevant, especially in the cases of migratory species or species with transboundary populations.
[1] WWF (2024) Living Planet Report 2024 – A System in Peril. WWF, Gland, Switzerland
[2] European Environment Agency 2023
**conditions:** General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
Applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation (see General Annex F) must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application (see General Annex E).

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
The first-stage proposals of this topic will be evaluated blindly.

are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].

described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions
 described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
 Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1 BLIND)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations 
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) 
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND)
Guidance
HE Programme Guide 
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Lump Sum MGA 
Call-specific instructions 
Detailed budget table (HE LS) 
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"

Additional documents:
 HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement 
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual 
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions 
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
**action type:** HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
**budget:** 
  **budget Years Columns:** 
    - 2026
  **budget Topic Action Map:** 
    **113170:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 14000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 7000000
        **min Contribution:** 7000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113171:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 10000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 5000000
        **min Contribution:** 5000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113172:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 10000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 5000000
        **min Contribution:** 5000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113173:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 18000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 6000000
        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113174:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 12000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 4
        **max Contribution:** 3000000
        **min Contribution:** 3000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113175:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 23000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 8000000
        **min Contribution:** 7000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113176:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 18000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 6000000
        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
**keywords:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-two-stage, Coastal And Environmental Protection, Earth observations from space/remote sensing, Environment, Environment, Pollution & Climate, Environment, resources and sustainability, Environmental Conservation, Environmental and marine biology, Environmental biology, Environmental planning, Environmental protection, Environmental sciences, Environmental sciences (social aspects), Environmental stressors, Environmental toxicology at the population and ecosystems level, Fight against threats to the Environment, Geo-information and spatial data analysis, Local governance, Marine Environment, Marine Environmental Policies, Natural resources and environmental economics, Political science, Public administration, River basin management , Terrestrial ecology, land cover change
**last synced at:** 2026-11-09T17:23:17.403+00:00

## Review record

No independent verification record is available.

## Source metadata