Horizon 2020

CLIMATE ACTION, ENVIRONMENT & RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
WORK PROGRAMME 2015   

Here are just some of the Topic Summaries and Deadlines. Contact us for more information: info@globaltolocal.com or call 44 (0)7825 993140    

WASTE-4-2014/2015: Towards near-zero waste at European and global level
[2015] Raw materials partnerships: Creation of a common multi-stakeholder
platform focused on a limited number of key raw materials across their whole value
chain. This should involve partners from across the value chain, including mining,
processing, recycling, application, public sectors (national/regional/local) and civil
society, while respecting the conditions of each value chain. The action shall support
implementation of the EIP on Raw Materials.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

WASTE-6-2015: Promoting eco-innovative waste management and prevention as part of sustainable urban development
Specific challenge: The growing waste produced in Europe, particularly in urban areas,
where the vast majority of the world population are expected to live by 2050, represents a
cost for society and a burden on the environment and, at the same time, a valuable stock
of resources that can be exploited.
Boosting eco-innovative solutions to prevent waste generation and promote the use of
waste as a resource, in line with the objectives of the EU Resource Efficiency Roadmap16
and the Waste Framework Directive17, can enhance the natural and living environment in
urban and peri-urban areas. Developing and demonstrating such solutions in real-life
environments will enhance their market uptake and contribute to sustainable urbanisation
worldwide.

Scope: Proposals should adopt an integrated urban metabolism approach and inter-disciplinary research and innovation and take into account the gender dimension where relevant. Proposals should involve active engagement of local authorities, citizens and other relevant stakeholders, using innovative concepts such as mobilisation and mutual learning. Proposals shall address only one of the following issues:
A) Eco Innovation Strategies or B) Eco Innovation Solutions
Deadline: 21 April 2015

WASTE-7-2015: Ensuring sustainable use of agricultural waste, co-products and by-products
Specific challenge: Agriculture generates co-products, by-products and waste streams that are currently not properly taken care of both in environmental and economic terms.
In plant production (e.g. from arable, horticulture, fruit, wine, grassland sectors and agro-forestry systems), losses take place at the farm and post-harvest levels and also down the chain at the level of the retail sector. Co-products or by-products are generated, for instance in the wine sector, which require sustainable use. Straw has been given significant attention in the last years as biomass feedstock and potential trade-offs with its relevance for soil improvement need to be considered.
In livestock production, manure, litter and other effluents management are a challenge, in particular in industrial production systems. While these effluents can be used as fertiliser, they can also be sources of bio-energy or valuable bio-products. The impacts on the environment, with emissions to the air, soil and water need to be evaluated. It is important to consider the whole effluent chain to avoid pollution swapping and health issues, due to possible transmission of pathogens.
Beyond reduction and recycling of agricultural waste, co-products and by-products, there may be opportunities for new processes enabling innovative uses of these materials, also outside the agricultural sector.
Scope: Proposals should evaluate existing techniques and develop new and innovative approaches for efficient use of agricultural waste, co-products and by-products, thereby contributing to the creation of sustainable value chains in the farming and processing sectors (including the organic sector). A range of sector-specific case studies (in terms of sources of waste and uses as well as geographic coverage) should serve to test and take up proposed approaches and technologies. Research and innovation efforts should address crop co-products/by-products/waste as well as manure/effluents.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

SC5-4-2015: Improving the air quality and reducing the carbon footprint of European cities
Scope: Development of technological options and strategies to fight against air pollution in urban environments and against climate change, ensuring the involvement of the main pollution-generation sectors. Proposals should include the development and application of tools in support of integrated air quality and climate change governance in EU Member States, with the aim of designing and implementing adequate abatement strategies and practices. The specific circumstances of the different regions and cities of Europe and the complex systems dynamics of societal and technological changes required for a transition to air pollution free/low carbon society should be taken into account. Proposals should foster the integration of advanced tools for the assessment, monitoring, modelling – including source apportionment – with innovative technological options and strategies to improve air quality and reduce the carbon footprint of urban areas. Furthermore, awareness-raising actions and policy support activities should be included. Proposals should include the participation of SMEs, as far as possible.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

SC5-7-2015: More effective ecosystem restoration in the EU
 Scope: Proposals should develop for conceptually coherent ecosystem types tools, approaches, methodologies and methods to assess and predict the effectiveness relative to their stated objectives – including both cost-effectiveness and benefits in relation to biodiversity and ecosystem services – of environmental restoration measures. They should engage the whole restoration community (business, academia, including social sciences and humanities, public administrations and civil society) in a major initiative to exchange experiences, identify strengths, weaknesses and best practices, encourage new techniques and technologies, and share information, knowledge and know-how in order to promote effective and sustainable restoration activities across the EU.
Proposals should use pilot projects or case studies, including a demonstration phase.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

 

 

 


 

 
 

Global to Local can assist you to:

WATER-1-2014/2015: Bridging the gap: from innovative water solutions to market replication
The EIP on Water30 has identified 8 priority areas: 5 thematic priorities (water reuse and recycling; water and waste water treatment, including recovery of resources; water and energy integration; flood and drought risk management; and the role of ecosystem services in the provision of water related services) and 3 cross-cutting priorities (water governance; decision support systems and monitoring; and financing for innovation). According to the EIP on Water, these are areas which show high potential for innovation and market uptake.

[2015] Demonstration/pilot activities of new or improved innovative water solutions in a real environment, with a focus on the cross cutting priorities identified in the EIP on Water, while addressing the thematic priorities.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

WATER-2-2014/2015: Integrated approaches to water and climate change
Specific challenge: The rising demands of a growing world population for food, water, materials and energy will put increasing pressures on land use, water resources and ecosystems. Increased energy use leads to increased demands for cooling water for thermal power plants. Climate mitigation options such as biomass production for energy (biofuels) might also lead to increased land and water demands. Increased food and feed demand will put increasing pressures on land (e.g. deforestation leading to more greenhouse gas emission) and water resources. Such pressures will be compounded by the impacts of climate change which are likely to further modify the availability and suitability of these resources as well as affect agricultural productivity.

[2015] Integrated approaches to food security, low-carbon energy, sustainable water management and climate change mitigation:
Proposals should aim to:
 develop tools and methodologies for integrating agriculture, forestry, climate change impacts and adaptation with climate-energy-economic models and land-use models, using a multi-disciplinary approach;
 consider the potential role, contributions and limitations of low-carbon options with respect to land and water resources;
 develop a better scientific understanding of the land-water-energy-climate nexus;
 develop integrated strategies and approaches, at different spatial scales (regional, national, continental, global), integrating resource efficient land use, agricultural productivity improvements, sustainable water management and low carbon energy transition and analysing interactions with the existing regulatory frameworks in these areas and the potential barriers to implementation.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

WATER-4-2014/2015: Harnessing EU water research and innovation results for industry, agriculture, policy makers and citizens
Proposals should aim to:
 implement measures to showcase, exchange, test and transfer water management solutions to end-users in the agricultural sector in view of improving water use efficiency and quality in agricultural practices. Activities should benefit various types of agriculture and pedo-climatic zones;
 contribute to a 'thematic network' on water in agriculture with broad involvement of practitioners and other stakeholders throughout Europe to compile, disseminate and further develop solutions; and
 support the integration of water relevant issues in the EIP on 'Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability', including linking up with EIP operational groups and related actions of the EIP on 'Water'.
Deadline: 21 April 2015

SC5-20-2014/2015: Boosting the potential of small businesses for eco-innovation and a sustainable supply of raw materials
Specific challenge: Innovative SMEs have been recognised as being able to become the engine of the green economy and to facilitate the transition to a resource efficient, circular economy. They can play an important role in helping the EU to exit from the economic crises and in job creation.

Scope: The SME instrument consists of three separate phases and a coaching and mentoring service for beneficiaries. Participants can apply to phase 1 with a view to applying to phase 2 at a later date, or directly to phase 2.

Expected impact:
 Enhancing profitability and growth performance of SMEs by combining and transferring new and existing knowledge into innovative, disruptive and competitive solutions seizing European and global business opportunities.
 Market uptake and distribution of innovations tackling the specific Challenge of 'Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials' in a sustainable way.
 Increase of private investment in innovation, notably leverage of private co-investor and/or follow-up investments.
Deadlines: 18 April, 17 June,17 Sept and 16 Dec 2015