ScienceUs Program: “Adaptation to Climate Change”

The ScienceUs project aims to establish an EU-wide network of interconnected citizen science initiatives across various research and technological fields aligned with the EU mission “Adaptation to Climate Change.”

In the Open Call, climate change adaptation represents the ability of natural and human systems to respond to climate change’s effects, including climate variability, extreme weather events, sea level rise, and food insecurity, to reduce potential damage, take advantage of opportunities, and cope with its consequences.

Topics

• Citizen science projects can address topics related to the economy (agriculture, forestry, fishery, industry, tourism, trade, transport), nature conservation and protection, green and blue infrastructure, also considering its innovative components as nature-based solutions, built infrastructure (including residential and non-residential buildings); public services (e.g., water supply, sanitation, sewage, heating) and other infrastructure (e.g., emergency, health, education); natural and human risk prevention and management; energy management; water management; transport management; health system; environmental education; environmental government and governance; outdoor and indoor climate monitoring.
• Challenges and topics addressed by the ScienceUs citizen sciences call are:
  • Challenge 1: Enhancing Education and Awareness Regarding Climate Change Adaptation
    • Increasing Reach and Engagement
    • Addressing Resource Constraints for Long-term Campaigns
    • Overcoming the Perception of Climate Change as a Distant Threat
    • Fighting Misinformation and Fake News
  • Challenge 2: Increasing Engagement, Participation, and Collaboration for research in climate change adaptation within and among the Quadruple Helix (citizens, academia, industry, and institutions)
    • Building Trust in Science and Science Institutions
    • Increasing Institutional Capacity and Interest
    • Closing Coordination and Communication Gaps
    • Creating Incentives for Citizen Participation
    • Addressing Institutional and Policy Barriers
  • Challenge 3: Increasing Inclusion in Citizen Science Initiatives
    • Bridging the Technology Gaps
    • Overcoming Language and Communication Barrier
    • Increasing Diversity in Leadership Roles
    • Overcoming Perceived Lack of Relevance

Challenges

• ScienceUs will provide a 3-phase combined support program of direct funding and support services to the selected projects/initiatives. A robust set of communication, dissemination, and knowledge transfer activities will be implemented to help them scale up their activities and engage all relevant actors in the quadruple helix.
• ScienceUs will assist the citizen science projects in:
  • Defining a transnational citizen science campaign and upscaling plan,
  • Implementing the transnational campaign plan by facilitating the matchmaking between EU citizen science initiatives and the involvement of quadruple helix actors in the projects,
  • Helping the selected Citizen Science projects transfer the best practices and lessons learned to other initiatives and projects and quadruple helix actors (mainly policymakers), generating a knowledge spillover effect.

Funding Information

• The Open Call proposes a three-phase approach.
  • The First Phase (SEED PHASE) will select 25 projects by an open call. Funding available – €1000
  • The Second Phase (FLOURISH PHASE) – the selection will include only the 25 applications selected for the SEED PHASE. Funding available – €25000
  • The Third Phase (HARVEST PHASE) – the selection will include only the 5 applications selected for the FLOURISH PHASE. Funding available – €14000

Eligibility Criteria

• Any legal entity (including consortia) from EU Member States or third-European countries associated with Horizon Europe, with an ongoing citizen science initiative related to adaptation to climate change, can apply for the first phase (SEED phase) of the open call organized into the ScienceUs project. For consortia, all applicants must be eligible. They must choose a lead who will submit the application and engage with ScienceUs on their behalf.
• The legal entity (including consortia) must belong to an EU Member State or third-European country associated with Horizon Europe.
• Applications for the first phase (SEED) will consist of a proposal including a description of the ongoing citizen science projects, with details about the quality and relevance of existing results for climate change adaptation, demand for the project in other regions, potential for scalability and replicability, applicant’s resources and expected impact on European, national, regional, or local policies. The short proposal should follow the template available in the ScienceUs ‘guide for applicants’ and must not exceed five pages.

Evaluation Criteria

• The evaluation will be divided into the following stages:
  • Eligibility check: The funding is available for ongoing projects relevant to the EU mission “Adaptation to climate change.” All legal entities established in a country or territory eligible for Horizon Europe grants are eligible to apply for this call.
  • Proposal evaluation: For the first phase (SEED), each proposal will be assessed against five criteria:
    • quality and relevance of existing results for climate change adaptation,
    • demand for the project in other regions,
    • potential for scalability and replicability,
    • applicant’s resources and
    • expected impact on European, national, regional, or local policies.

For more information, visit European Commission.