Understanding and avoiding maladaptation to climate change

Overview

Funding for research projects that advance understanding of maladaptation to climate change, improve risk assessment frameworks, and develop guidelines to prevent or correct maladaptive outcomes. Targets consortia of researchers, public bodies, and private stakeholders working on climate adaptation strategies.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities (e.g., universities, research institutions, public authorities, NGOs, private companies) from eligible countries. Participation of end-users and stakeholders from diverse sectors is encouraged.

Funding Details

Maximum grant amount: €15,000,000 per project. Funding rate and co-funding requirements follow Horizon Europe rules for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).

What Is Funded

• Comprehensive analysis of maladaptation drivers, including socio-economic, environmental, and systemic trade-offs.
• Mapping and validation of effective adaptation practices to prevent maladaptation, using case studies at local, regional, and national scales.
• Development of methodological tools for climate risk and adaptation assessments, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches.
• Systematization of evidence into EU repositories (e.g., Climate-ADAPT, EU Mission on Adaptation).
• Corrective responses and prevention guidelines for maladaptation, with engagement from public and private stakeholders.
• Coordination with ongoing EU projects (e.g., Mission Adaptation, Cluster 5) for consistency and evidence retrieval.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

Projects must target Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 6.

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-11-16
• Deadline: 2027-03-03

Application Process (High-Level)

Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must adhere to Horizon Europe’s standard application form and evaluation criteria.

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

• Projects must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for satellite-based data if applicable.
• Engagement with end-users and intersectional approaches (e.g., gender-disaggregated data) is encouraged.
• Coordination with relevant EU initiatives and repositories is required.