Objective Smouldering megafires are the largest and longest-burning fires on Earth. They destroy essential peatland ecosystems, and are responsible for 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. This is the same amount attributed to the whole of the European Union, and yet it is not accounted for in global carbon budgets. Peat fires also induce surges of respiratory emergencies in the population and disrupt shipping and aviation routes for long periods, weeks even months. The ambition of HAZE is to advance the science and create the technology that will reduce the burden of smouldering fires. Despite their importance, we do not understand how smouldering fires ignite, spread or extinguish, which impedes the development of any successful mitigation strategy. Megafires are routinely fought across the globe with techniques that were developed for flaming fires, and are thus ineffective for smouldering. Moreover, the burning of deep peat affects older soil carbon that has not been part of the active carbon cycle for centuries to millennia, and thus creates a positive feedback to the climate system. HAZE wants to turn the challenges faced by smouldering research into opportunities and has the following three novel aims: 1) To conduct controlled laboratory experiments and discover how peat fires ignite, spread and extinguish.2) To develop multidimensional computational models for the field scale (~1 km) and simulate the real phenomena.3) To create pathways for novel mitigation technologies in accurate prevention, quick detection systems, and simulation-driven suppression strategies.With my proposal, Europe has the chance to lead the way and pioneer technologies against this Earth-scale and important but unconventional source of emissions. I am confident that with the support of ERC, I can deliver the science and excellence needed to tackle this global challenge, and in doing so, I will advance the knowledge frontier, foster innovation and develop new young talent for Europe Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistryengineering and technologymechanical engineeringnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollutionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeology Keywords heat transfer combustion fire carbon emissions peat Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-CoG-2015 - ERC Consolidator Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-CoG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant Host institution IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE Net EU contribution € 1 958 900,00 Address SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD SW7 2AZ LONDON United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — West Westminster Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 958 900,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 1 958 900,00 Address SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD SW7 2AZ LONDON See on map Region London Inner London — West Westminster Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 958 900,00