Deadline: 16-Apr-2026
The European Commission is inviting grant applications under Horizon Europe for research and innovation actions that strengthen climate resilience, preparedness, and carbon neutrality in healthcare systems and populations. The programme offers €45 million total funding, with €7–8 million per project, and is open to eligible legal entities worldwide under Horizon Europe rules.
What is this European Commission Grant Programme?
This is a Horizon Europe research and innovation funding opportunity focused on making healthcare systems more climate-resilient, prepared, and low-carbon.
The programme supports projects that help:
- Decarbonise the healthcare sector
- Improve climate resilience in health systems
- Reduce health-related climate risks
- Develop low-carbon medical technologies
- Strengthen public health preparedness
- Generate evidence on the health benefits of climate action
It combines climate mitigation, climate adaptation, public health, and healthcare innovation in one funding call.
Funding Overview
Grant Amount
- Total funding available: €45 million
- Indicative funding per project: €7 million to €8 million
This suggests the programme is designed for a small number of large, high-impact research and innovation projects.
Who is Eligible?
The opportunity is open to any legal entity worldwide, including:
- Universities
- Research institutes
- NGOs
- Companies
- Public bodies
- Healthcare institutions
- International organisations
- Entities from non-associated countries
Important Eligibility Note
Applicants must still meet the eligibility conditions under the Horizon Europe framework.
Why This Programme Matters
The healthcare sector has a major environmental footprint.
Key Context
- The health sector contributes nearly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions
- It places heavy demand on:
- Energy
- Materials
- Supply chains
- Ecosystems
At the same time, climate change is already affecting healthcare systems through:
- Pressure on hospitals and clinics
- Strain on workforce capacity
- Disruptions to service delivery
- Increased climate-related disease burden
- Infrastructure and supply chain vulnerabilities
This programme responds to both challenges:
- Reducing healthcare emissions
- Improving healthcare resilience and preparedness
Main Objectives of the Programme
The European Commission wants funded projects to support climate-smart healthcare transformation.
Core Goals
Projects should contribute to:
- Advancing technological developments for greener healthcare
- Creating frameworks for healthcare decarbonisation
- Generating evidence on health costs and benefits of climate action
- Helping policymakers design better environment and health policies
- Supporting governments and public health authorities in responding to climate-related health risks
- Empowering people with tools and knowledge for health-protective behaviours
What Types of Activities Can Be Funded?
The call supports a broad set of research and innovation actions.
Eligible Activity Areas
Projects may include:
- Development of low-carbon medical technologies
- Innovation in digital health tools that reduce emissions or pollution
- Research on health co-benefits of climate mitigation
- Frameworks for greening healthcare systems
- Piloting climate resilience interventions in healthcare settings
- Methodologies to assess cost-effectiveness of adaptation strategies
- Frameworks and metrics to evaluate mitigation measures
- Preventive healthcare models linked to climate resilience
- Strengthening healthcare infrastructure and supply chains
- Assessing the role of primary care in community preparedness
- Health technology assessment (HTA) for low-carbon solutions
Key Research Scope
Climate Resilience and Adaptation
Proposals may focus on:
- Reducing health vulnerability
- Improving community resilience
- Developing preparedness interventions
- Strengthening healthcare facility resilience
- Improving continuity of care during climate stress events
Carbon Neutrality and Decarbonisation
Projects may address:
- Emissions reduction in healthcare operations
- Cleaner healthcare supply chains
- Pollution reduction from healthcare practices
- Sustainable medical technologies
- Resource-efficient healthcare delivery models
Evidence and Policy Support
The programme also encourages:
- Evidence generation on health benefits of climate mitigation
- Data for cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis
- Policy-ready frameworks for governments and health authorities
- Scalable and transferable models across different healthcare systems
What Makes a Strong Proposal?
A strong proposal should show:
- Clear relevance to healthcare climate resilience and/or healthcare decarbonisation
- Strong research and innovation value
- Practical pathways for piloting or implementation
- Scalable and transferable interventions
- Inclusive and accessible solutions
- Relevance across diverse:
- Healthcare systems
- Communities
- Living environments
- Working environments
How to Apply
Step-by-Step Approach
- Confirm Horizon Europe eligibility
Ensure your organisation and consortium meet the legal and participation rules. - Define a focused project theme
Choose a strong angle such as:- Low-carbon medical technologies
- Climate-resilient health systems
- Health co-benefits of climate mitigation
- Preparedness tools for communities
- Build a strong consortium
This call is likely best suited to multi-partner, interdisciplinary collaborations involving:- Health researchers
- Climate experts
- Public health authorities
- Hospitals or care systems
- Technology developers
- Policy actors
- Design scalable interventions or frameworks
Proposals should go beyond theory and show practical, transferable value. - Include evidence and evaluation methods
Add:- Metrics
- Cost-effectiveness methods
- Impact assessment frameworks
- Policy relevance pathways
- Address both innovation and implementation
Strong proposals should combine research quality with real-world usability.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these common issues:
- Submitting a general climate or health proposal without clear healthcare system relevance
- Failing to address both resilience and/or decarbonisation in a meaningful way
- Weak plans for scalability or transferability
- Proposals with no clear policy uptake pathway
- Ignoring cost-effectiveness or evidence generation
- Overlooking healthcare infrastructure and supply chain impacts
- Treating digital tools as standalone tech without health-system integration
FAQ
1. What is this European Commission funding opportunity about?
It is a Horizon Europe grant programme supporting research and innovation actions that improve climate resilience, preparedness, and carbon neutrality in healthcare systems and populations.
2. How much funding is available?
The programme has a total budget of €45 million, with €7–8 million per project.
3. Who can apply?
Any legal entity worldwide may apply, including entities from non-associated countries, as long as they meet Horizon Europe eligibility rules.
4. What types of projects are encouraged?
Projects may focus on:
- Low-carbon medical technologies
- Digital health tools
- Healthcare decarbonisation frameworks
- Climate resilience interventions
- Health co-benefit evidence
- Preparedness and prevention strategies
- Health technology assessment
5. Why is healthcare a focus for climate action?
Healthcare contributes nearly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is also increasingly affected by climate-related disruptions. The sector must both reduce its footprint and adapt to climate risks.
6. Can proposals include policy and evaluation work?
Yes. The programme strongly encourages:
- Policy support frameworks
- Cost-effectiveness methodologies
- Metrics for mitigation and adaptation
- Evidence for public health decision-making
7. Are digital and technology-based solutions eligible?
Yes. The programme supports low-carbon medical technologies, digital tools, and related health technology assessment activities.
Conclusion
This European Commission Horizon Europe grant is a major opportunity for organisations working at the intersection of climate change, healthcare innovation, public health, and resilience.
For more information, visit European Commission.
