Strengthening pathways to alternative socio-economic models for continuous improvement of biodiversity

The main goal of this opportunity is to support the creation and acceleration of new socio-economic models that help restore and protect biodiversity. It focuses on finding solutions to the biodiversity crisis by encouraging innovative changes in policy, governance, education, and finance. Key areas include engaging a range of stakeholders, sharing knowledge, exploring alternative economic systems, identifying barriers, building skills, improving valuation methods, and collaboratively designing solutions. The opportunity leverages tools like Generative AI and seeks alignment with major international biodiversity frameworks. While it is centered on Europe, it also aims to share results globally and encourages international cooperation.

• Analyse and prioritise alternative socio-economic models (governance, finance, education, legislation) that support biodiversity protection and restoration. 

• Generate new knowledge and tools, including valuation methods and incentives, to integrate biodiversity values into decision-making. 

• Use quantitative and qualitative research, including Generative AI where relevant, to inform governance and implementation strategies. 

• Identify barriers to adoption of effective models and propose solutions for scaling them across Europe. 

• Develop capacity-building pathways to address educational, regulatory, technological, and research gaps. 

• Pilot co-designed strategies and market/regulatory instruments to enable transformative biodiversity action (e.g. non-market measures, scenario planning). 

• Engage policy-makers, communities, citizens, and experts in co-creation and decision-making. 

• Disseminate actionable recommendations, tools, and frameworks for EU and national policy uptake. 

• Explore how traditional economic models contribute to biodiversity loss and propose integrated economic-ecological transition pathways. 

• Collaborate with initiatives like EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity, BioAgora, and align with past Horizon projects.

Examples:

• A project co-designed by universities, local governments, and NGOs to test new community-based economic models for nature restoration in rural Europe.
• A partnership between research institutes and policymakers to analyze barriers to implementing biodiversity-friendly business models and propose solutions.
• A collaborative effort using Generative AI to develop educational tools that promote biodiversity values, involving schools, tech companies, and conservation groups.

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment (depreciation or rental)
• Consumables and materials
• Dissemination and communication
• Access to research infrastructure
• IPR and certification
• Audit costs
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate)
• Internally invoiced services

• Budget for this Call: 14.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Budget per project: 7.000.000€

• Consortium requirements: Minimum of 3 independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, with at least one entity based in the EU 

• Eligible participants: Legal entities including universities, research organisations, NGOs, public authorities, SMEs, industry associations, etc., established in eligible countries 

• Coordinator requirements: Must be based in an eligible EU or associated country and demonstrate the necessary operational and financial capacity to lead the project 

• Affiliated or third-country participants: Allowed to participate, but do not count towards meeting the minimum consortium, and are typically not funded by the EU 

• Participant capacity: All partners must confirm they have sufficient operational, technical, and financial resources to carry out their tasks

• Thematic focus: Projects must develop and apply alternative socio‑economic models, governance frameworks, valuation tools, and AI-enabled solutions to support biodiversity restoration, aligned with EU biodiversity strategies and the Global Biodiversity Framework 

• Collaboration requirement: Applicants should plan for clustering, coordination, and data sharing with related Horizon and Biodiversa projects, and liaison with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity and BioAgora