Long-term drivers and consequences of soil degradation: learning from the past to improve future soil health

Overview

This grant funds research into the long-term drivers and consequences of soil degradation, aiming to improve understanding of historical and future soil health trends. It targets interdisciplinary consortia, including researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders, to develop data-driven insights for sustainable soil management.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include consortia of legal entities (e.g., universities, research institutions, public bodies, NGOs, and private companies) from EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and specified third countries. International cooperation, particularly with China, is strongly encouraged.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €12,000,000
• Funding type: Lump sum
• Funding rate: Not specified (standard Horizon Europe rules apply)

What Is Funded

• Research on historical soil degradation processes, drivers, and socio-economic/cultural consequences across pedo-climatic regions.
• Development and validation of methodologies (e.g., ancient eDNA, pollen analysis, environmental radionuclides) to study past soil health.
• Use of numerical models and digital tools to reconstruct past degradation patterns and predict future trends.
• Citizen science initiatives and stakeholder engagement for data collection and awareness-raising.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration (soil sciences, environmental sciences, social sciences, humanities).

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• TRL range: 4–6 (development of specific technologies above TRL 4 is out of scope).

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-02-03
• Deadline: 2027-04-07T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout specified in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Post-Award Obligations

• Collaboration with the EU Soil Observatory and the SoilWise project to ensure open access, longevity, and interoperability of outputs.
• Reporting and dissemination requirements as per Horizon Europe standard grant agreements.

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Proposals must align with the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 13 and 15).
• Collaboration with projects funded under HORIZON-MISS-2025-05-SOIL-02 is expected.
• Consortia must demonstrate interdisciplinary expertise and a clear pathway to impact for policymakers and land managers.