Open Call with SSH aspects in European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+)

Restoration of ecosystem functioning, integrity and connectivity


Deadlines:

• Pre‑proposal deadline: Early November 2025
• Full proposal deadline: Early April 2026
   
   

Short Call Abstract:

This call is focused on fostering innovative research to be integrated into nature restoration practices for interconnected and well-functioning ecosystems and habitats, with special consideration for long-term sustainability and future-proofing of restoration efforts, at scales from local to regional to cross-border and global, including their evaluation.

It promotes holistic, systemic, and integrated approaches across all ecosystems and habitats, in all regions of the world.

can focus on a wide range of aspects, e.g.: different categories of indicators; multiple scales for restoration upscaling; ecological, socio-economic, and socio-cultural dimensions; and/or varying levels of environmental regulations and policies needing alignment. 

The call is structured around three partly overlapping topics. Project proposals can address one or more of these main topics: 

• Topic 1 – Setting restoration targets and measuring success

  This topic addresses the need for coherent and operational restoration targets and measurements of success in terms of ecosystem functioning, integrity and connectivity. 

  Projects are expected to consider shifting baselines and integration of ecological, cultural and social contexts, with objective-based or reference-based approaches.

• Topic 2 – Transferability and scaling of nature restoration efforts

  This topic addresses the need for a better understanding of the possibilities and methods for meaningful and effective scaling and transferability of nature restoration efforts. There are many examples of successful local restoration efforts across the world, however the scale of the biodiversity crisis necessitates advancements in approaches and processes for reproducing successful efforts across different socio-economic and environmental contexts.

• Topic 3 – Resilience and sustainability of restoration efforts

  This topic addresses the need for long-term sustainability of restored species, habitats and ecosystems, including resilience to climate change and other pressures. Given future environmental and societal changes, it will not be possible to rely solely on historical and current datasets and models to predict likely pathways to successful restoration. There is also a need for advanced predictive modelling and anticipatory strategic foresight based on policy learning, as well as the development of entirely novel approaches to restoration, experimental approaches with high risk tolerance, and/or open-ended restoration efforts such as rewilding.
   
   

SSH aspects:

Environmental Humanities, Economics, Sociology, Law

 

Specific participation requirements:

• Consortia must include teams from at least 3 countries financially participating in the Call, with at least 2 of these from EU Member States or Associated Countries.
• Proposals should be interdisciplinary and are strongly encouraged to be transdisciplinary, engaging non-academic stakeholders in working together with researchers to co-produce new knowledge relevant for society.
• Projects should also contribute to international biodiversity commitments, also beyond 2030, including under the Kunming–Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.
  
  

Countries

Austria, Belgium (Wallonia-Brussels), Belgium (Flanders), Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Türkiye.

*This list is not final: countries and organisations may be added or removed between now and the official launch of the call in September. The list will regularly be updated and published on the Biodiversa+ website.