Multi-Topics

Description

1) Objective

This call aims to promote innovative water accounting approaches that can enhance the gathering, analysis and communication of information related to water flows, fluxes, stocks, and consumption in selected watersheds/basins, with a view to improving the management of water resources, even in the face of changing climate as well as geopolitical and socio-economic shocks. To this end, projects should consider the following activities:

• Make use of real-time monitoring and leverage new technologies and data sources, including remote sensing, big data analytics, machine learning, block chain, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, to provide more accurate information on water availability and use,
• Define target levels of sustainable water withdrawal and consumption for water using sectors and/or users (including ecosystems), that match the available resources and natural recharge patterns,
• Multi-scale (from local to regional) biophysical analyses, climate studies and modelling delivering robust quantitative estimates of water balance components (water accounts) for the selected demonstration sites.
• Create networks of researchers, water users (incl. farmers and water users’ associations) and managers, policymakers and other stakeholders, adopting a multi/actor approach which considers their needs and perspectives, to share knowledge and improve water decision making and governance, based on the analysis of water related information.
• Implement awareness-raising and knowledge-sharing initiatives that promote the use of water accounting to facilitate a shared understanding of the state of water resources and related issues among stakeholders, incentivise proper water use and discourage illicit
• Incorporate economic valuation and the analysis of use-cost-price scenarios into water accounting with a view to improving pricing mechanisms and regulatory frameworks and increasing willingness to pay for the different uses and property rights.
• Develop insurance programs and models to be employed under water scarcity conditions.

2) Eligibility

Any legal entity created under the European Union law is eligible.

3) Location

The following Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU) are eligible: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia. The following Third Countries associated to Horizon 2020 (AC) are eligible: Israel, Tunisia, and Turkey. The following Third Countries not associated with to Horizon 2020 (TC), having concluded international agreements for scientific and technological cooperation setting out the terms and conditions of their participation in PRIMA are eligible: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco.

4) Budget

Total available funding is €34,700,000. Funding rate is 70% (except for non-profit legal entities, where a rate of 100% applies).

5) Application

The application deadline for pre-proposals is 4 April 2024. Selected full proposals are then due on 25 September 2024.