Quick access: Scope of the call   |  Call schedule  |   Consortia eligibility   |   Participating countries   |   Assessment criteria  |  Information and documents

2024-2025 Joint Call

Biodiversity and Transformative Change

#BiodivTransform

Thank you to all applicants for their submissions to the initial phase of this call, which is now closed. Results were communicated in mid-February 2025.

Applicants invited to Step 2 can now submit their full proposals on the online platform (EPSS).

Please note that a “widening option” is available between Steps 1 and 2 to encourage participation and improve the success rate of researchers from countries/regions with smaller research communities and/or lower success rates in Step 1. See the dedicated section for more information.

BiodivTransform call schedule
Scope of the call

Transformative change can be defined as a “fundamental system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values needed for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity” (IPBES 2019).

The BiodivTransform Call aims to support interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and/or cross-sectoral research and innovation projects that will:

  • Help understand trade-offs and cross-linkages between the worldwide crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution;
  • Identify, analyse, and comprehend transformation processes that may safeguard biodiversity by mitigating its threats and halt – even reverse – its decline, as well as the benefits it may provide to people.

This call adopts a bottom-up approach and intentionally does not define research themes.

Projects will be expected to demonstrate academic excellence with potential for societal and policy impact regarding biodiversity, aiming to connect science, society, policy, and practices for transformative change.

This call is not restricted in terms of specific environments nor geographic areas, encompassing all realms (terrestrial, marine, coastal and freshwater) and ecosystems experiencing various levels and sources of disturbances, including transition zones and interfaces (coastal, wetlands, urban–rural, forest–agriculture, etc.) and in integrated land/seascapes.

Applicants must carefully read the announcement of opportunity (Call Document 1) that further details the scope of the call.

Call schedule

A two-step application procedure applies, with the mandatory submission of pre-proposals at the first step and the submission of full proposals at the second step. Proposals (in English only) must be submitted via the Biodiversa+ Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS).

  • Launch of the call: Tuesday 10 September 2024
  • Deadline for pre-proposals (mandatory): Friday 8 November 2024, 15:00 CET (local time in Brussels)
  • Results of the evaluation of the first step: mid-February 2025
  • Deadline for full-proposals: Friday 11 April 2025, 15:00 CEST (local time in Brussels)
  • Recommendations for funding: late September 2025
  • Start of the projects: between 1 December 2025 and 1 April 2026
Transnational research consortia and eligibility

Looking for a partner or a project to join?

Use the Partner Search Tool

To be eligible, research consortia must:

  • include eligible research partners from at least 3 different countries financially participating in the call,
  • seek support from at least 3 different Funding Organisations,
  • involve partners from at least 2 different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

NB: Not all EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries participate financially in this call. Please refer to the list of Participating countries below to know which ones are eligible for funding.

Proposals must be exclusively written in English. 

Widening option

Expanding your consortium between steps 1 and 2

Consortia invited to submit a full proposal (Step 2) have the option to include new research partners from “undersubscribed” funding organisations. This “widening option” allows for valuable additions to the consortium, provided the new partner(s) are relevant to the proposal and well-integrated.

  • Adding a partner from an undersubscribed funding organisation does not count towards the maximum two changes normally allowed between steps. However, national/regional eligibility rules still apply.
  • Before adding any new partner, contact all relevant Funding Organisations to ensure compliance with their specific eligibility rules and criteria.

See Call Documents for full details on the widening option.

Participating Countries

The following funding organisations are part of the widening option:

  • The Faroese Research Council (RCFI), Faroe Islands
  • Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP), Israel
  • Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen (BOZEN), Italy
  • Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Slovakia
Use the Partner Search Tool

The Partner Search Tool can be used to connect with potential partners:

  • For applicants from undersubscribed funding organisations: Review the list of pre-proposals invited to Step 2. Then, visit the Partner Search Tool and express your interest in specific proposals by including the proposal acronym. Regularly check the tool for new opportunities posted by successful consortia.
  • For successful consortia: If you wish to add expertise from undersubscribed funding organisations, use the Partner Search Tool to find suitable partners. You can also post a detailed offer to attract potential collaborators.
Participating countries

Check the participating organisations and their rules!

Participating funding organisations

37 Funding Organisations from 32 countries are joining this call and have reserved – together with the European Commission – a total amount of ca. 40M€. Each Research Partner involved in a proposal must comply with the eligibility criteria and rules of its national / regional funding organisations.

The full up-to-date list of funding organisation participating in this Call, their reserved budgets and their national / regional eligibility rules and participation modalities are available here.

Biodiversa+ strives to encourage researchers from countries and regions with research communities that have been less responsive in the past two Biodiversa+ Calls. Therefore, for your information we would like to draw your attention in particular to the following funding organisations: MHESR (Tunisia), NARD (Moldova), and NSTC (Taiwan).

Assessment criteria

Research proposals will be evaluated by independent experts against the following criteria:

  • At step 1: (1) fit to the scope of the call, (2) novelty of the research, and (3) impact;
  • At step 2: (1) [scientific] excellence, (2) quality and efficiency of the implementation [of the project plan], and (3) impact (covering expected societal impact which includes policy impact, and approach to stakeholder engagement).

Research projects are expected to have a holistic approach, to be transnational, inter- and transdisciplinary, and to mobilise as needed natural sciences, technical sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts. For both steps, the transnational added value of a submitted project must be clearly presented.

Applicants must carefully read the detailed assessment criteria (Call Document 6) .

Maximise your chances!

Biodiversa+ offers various resources to help you develop a strong proposal:

  • Stakeholder Engagement: Learn effective strategies for engaging stakeholders in your research project.
  • Policy Relevance: Ensure your research aligns with policy needs and promotes science-policy interaction.
  • Citizen Science: Explore ways to incorporate citizen science into your research activities.
  • Data Management Guide for more information on how to write and develop your data management plan with a focus on making your data and publications as open as possible
Important information and key documents

Make sure to carefully read all the supporting Call Documents which contains the following information: :

Please note that each research partner in a project who is requesting funding under this call must comply with the eligibility criteria and rules of its national / regional funding organisation. For specific questions related to the budget, eligibility criteria and rules of your funding organisation, please contact your Funding Organisation Contact Point (FCP). All national / regional eligibility & funding rules and associated information including the Funding Organisation Contact Point are available here.

On 24 September 2024, we held an information webinar. Watch the recording to learn more about the call.

Be aware of all relevant European initiatives and choose wisely the one best suited for your project. For topics with a strong focus on water and circularity, the Water4All 2024 Joint Transnational Call is recommended. For topics with a strong focus on circular urban economies transition pathways, the DUT 2024 Joint Transnational Call is recommended.

Stay Informed: visit our website regularly for updates or subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest information directly!