Consolidating the European Research Area on biodiversity and ecosystem services

Specific challenge:Biodiversity is our life insurance providing us with various (ecosystem) services and its deterioration and loss jeopardises the provision of these services. The challenge is to advance towards completing the European Research Area in this field and to develop further the common vision and activities currently undertaken by Member States, enhancing coordination and thereby the overall impact of research and innovation in this domain. Ultimately, a unified and open biodiversity research area that promotes free circulation of scientific knowledge and technology and strengthens competitiveness needs to be created.

Scope:Proposals should pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national (or regional) research programmes with a view to implementing a joint call for proposals resulting in grants to third parties with EU co-funding in this area, based on a joint vision and a common strategic research agenda for biodiversity and ecosystem services, involving also social sciences and humanities as appropriate. The joint call should be implemented in cooperation with non-EU countries where relevant, and by developing links with appropriate research infrastructures. In line with the EU's strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation[1] international cooperation with international partners is encouraged. Proposers should also consider implementing other joint activities, including the establishment of a pan-European network of funding agencies and other key players in Europe, building on previous experience and avoiding overlaps with other initiatives, support to mutual learning and training, exchange of good practice, researcher mobility and equal opportunities (e.g. through EURAXESS) and better careers in the field as well as additional joint calls without EU co-funding.

Expected impact:Effective trans-national, pan-European research networking and synergies among national/regional and EU research programmes in the area of biodiversity and ecosystem services to promote sustainable development. New knowledge-intensive products and services. Improved evidence-based policy through interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary science-policy interface and link in with international efforts and fora on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Type of action: ERA-NET Cofund

[1]     COM(2012)497