Deadline: 24-Mar-22
The European Commission is accepting proposals for Validating and further developing indicators for soil health and functions.
Scope
A priority for soil monitoring concerns the development, harmonization, reporting and scaling of robust indicators to establish the status and changes in soil health. In turn, these indicators determine the operational aspects of the monitoring system in terms of sampling framework, sample collection and preservation, laboratory analysis and temporal aspects.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- progress towards a harmonised and cost-effective framework for measuring soil health and for developing a soil health index, based on a widely agreed definition of soil health. In the long term, results may support a harmonised soil monitoring and reporting in Europe, as aimed for by the new EU Soil Strategy;
- significantly improved capacities for soil health monitoring and for assessing the effects of management practices and policy measures based on a set of robust set of indicators for soil health (state and change) and of proxies that are applicable to various land uses;
- support to policy development and to the creation of incentives for sustainable soil management through increased evidence on the links between soil health, soil functions and ecosystem services.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
- eligible non-EU countries
- countries associated to Horizon Europe
- low- and middle-income countries
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3FoCXaI