Project description
Laying the basis for an up-and-running European infrastructure for ecosystems research
The European Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER) is an essential component of the worldwide efforts to better understand ecosystems. A major constituent of LTER is its research infrastructure – eLTER RI – which is expected to operate in 2027. The EU-funded eLTER PPP project is opening an important chapter in the development of a permanent infrastructure for long-term ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological research. The preparatory phase project will enable the significant improvement of LTER’s research infrastructure in areas such as organisation, business model and legal basis. This implies reconciling the interests of currently over 160 institutions from 19 countries that support the scientific concept as infrastructure users. The eLTER PPP project will pave the way for a new kind of transdisciplinary research on ecosystems.
Objective
eLTER RI is a pan-European Research Infrastructure planned to be operational in 2027. It has been built on the basis of existing national investments over several decades in the context of dedicated networks and ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological research projects. 162 Research Performing Organisations support the eLTER RI Science Case through a signed MoU, and 19 countries have formally provided political support to establishment of eLTER RI. The eLTER RI intends to create scientifically sound information required in response to grand societal challenges, while working as a distributed RI in the most cost-efficient way. It will continuously enhance its services and in-situ facilities to meet the needs of stakeholders as to emerging research challenges. Thereby, it will bring Europe to a globally leading role in ecosystem sciences. eLTER PPP will establish the vision and mission, strategic collaboration schemes and impact analyis of the RI; plan, consolidate with shareholders and start to implement the governance structures, coordinate a smooth transition from preparation into operations by establishing a legal entity, and by clearly identifying risks and risk reduction measures; prepare the cost benefit analysis, full Cost Book of the RI, and the financial plans for the mid-term and long-term perspective, and consolidate them with the shareholders; conclude the requirements of the RI to be met by the Central Services, identify the host for the Head Office, and the scope and decision making processes for hosting other central service components; finalise the technical specifications of eLTER RI concerning National Research Infrastructure design, eLTER Standard Observations and site categories, and establish a site labelling process; and develop and set up communication, dissemination and marketing structures or seamless continuation in eLTER RI, and engaging the eLTER scientific user community and other user groups beyond the project life time.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
04318 Leipzig
Germany
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Participants (30)
1090 Wien
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1111 Sofia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
00014 Helsingin Yliopisto
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75794 Paris
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
75238 Paris
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
75007 Paris
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OX10 8BB Oxford
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1000 Bruxelles / Brussel
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1113 Sofia
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603 00 Brno
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1165 Kobenhavn
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60325 Frankfurt
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731 00 Chania
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1113 Budapest
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84105 Beer Sheva
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32000 Haifa
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00185 Roma
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1586 RIGA
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6525 ED Nijmegen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
90-364 Lodz
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1749-016 Lisboa
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050663 Bucuresti
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21000 Novi Sad
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814 99 Bratislava
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1000 Ljubljana
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28006 Madrid
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750 07 Uppsala
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8903 Birmensdorf
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0579 Oslo
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601 77 Brno
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