The European Union is continuing its efforts to fight climate change and restore aquatic ecosystems with 30 projects that have officially signed grant agreements under the Horizon Europe Missions calls
Supported by over €200 million in funding, these projects are expected to bring innovative, practical solutions across Europe.
Out of 32 projects selected for funding, 30 have now finalised agreements with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The projects are focused on two of the EU’s primary Missions: Adaptation to Climate Change and Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030.
Climate resilience and ecosystem restoration
The selected CINEA projects will address challenges faced by communities and ecosystems during a time of climate change. From building resilience to climate risks to restoring marine and freshwater systems, the projects are expected to deliver a vast and lasting impact.
The proposals were evaluated by external experts, with successful applicants invited to sign contracts between April and July 2025. These agreements now unlock significant resources to accelerate Europe’s green transition.
Breaking down the funded calls
The CINEA projects fall under several specific Horizon Europe calls, each targeting a different aspect of climate and water resilience:
- HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01 focused on climate adaptation. Out of 79 proposals submitted by the deadline of 18 September 2024, 19 projects were selected, and 17 have now signed agreements. Nearly €113 million has been allocated under this call.
- HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01 targeted ocean and water health. All seven selected projects from the 42 submitted have secured their grants. The total funding distributed under this call is close to €48 million.
- HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02 supported communities working toward the Restore Our Ocean and Waters mission. It closed on 1 October 2024 with 17 proposals received. All five selected projects have been signed, sharing nearly €54 million.
- HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-IBA involved a direct €14 million grant, awarded without an open call, to develop public infrastructure for the European Digital Twin Ocean. This was due to the highly specialised nature of the work, which required unique technical capabilities.
Participation across Europe
Around 500 beneficiaries from 34 countries are participating in these projects. The consortia include a wide variety of actors: small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, research institutes, local governments, schools, and private businesses.
Their collaboration shows the EU’s commitment to mobilising a wide range of stakeholders in addressing environmental challenges.
The Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change focuses on supporting regions in becoming climate resilient. At the same time, the Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters looks to protect and regenerate marine and freshwater environments by the end of the decade.
These mission-driven projects are part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, which runs from 2021 to 2027 with a total budget of €95.5 billion. The Missions are designed to tackle significant societal challenges with bold, coordinated action.
CINEA currently implements three of the five Horizon Europe Missions: Adaptation to Climate Change, Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030, and 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.
More information about the selected projects, including budgets and participants, can be found in the official project overview provided by CINEA.
