Revitalisation of European local communities with innovative bio-based business models and social innovation

Call updates

Oct 7, 2021 5:30:28 PM
The Call HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01 (Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal) has closed on the 6th October 2021 92 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is: HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-09 : 5

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated around end of January 2022

Jul 9, 2021 11:10:26 AM
To know more about how applicants shall select one of the three inter-connected transformation actions - as specified in the topic scope - when submitting a proposal, an FAQ is published on the FAQ section of topic HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-02. This FAQ can also be accessed directly by clicking here.

Jun 22, 2021 4:20:04 PM
The submission session is now available for: HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-09(HORIZON-CSA)

Revitalisation of European local communities with innovative bio-based business models and social innovation
TOPIC ID: HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-09

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call: Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal (HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01)
Type of action: HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions
Type of MGA: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model: single-stage
Planned opening date: 22 June 2021
Deadline date: 06 October 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Successful proposal(s) will contribute to the expected impacts of Destination ‘Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal’, and the European policies it supports, in particular the European Green Deal, and EU bioeconomy strategy, by supporting the establishment of the innovative governance models notably to achieve better-informed decision-making processes, social engagement and innovation. In addition, the topic supports the strengthened EU and international science-policy interfaces to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Projects results are expected to contribute to all following expected outcomes:

• Higher awareness of stakeholders (e.g. by development of a programme that focuses on helping local stakeholders, including primary biomass producers, civil society organisations including NGOs and SMEs to be integrated in and benefit from bio-based value chains) – identifying local actors and improve communication between them, showing opportunities for collaboration along the bio-based value chain.
• Increased opportunities to develop skilled jobs and small-scale establishments in the bioeconomy, thus helping to revitalise local communities (by supporting the local and regional rural development, economic and implementing authorities, to raise awareness of bio-based options)
• Advancement of the role of ‘social enterprise’ model for local communities, including the low-income populations, benefiting from creativity linked to bio-based solutions and promoting inclusiveness and cooperation at all levels.
• Increased opportunities created by the local bio-based economy within broader bioeconomy transition, e.g. by linking valorisation of ecosystem/nature services’ (e.g. recreation) with sustainable biomass production, processing, product design and manufacture, circular use and upcycling to new applications.
• Supporting the development of for small businesses and for business-to-consumers communication of innovation, climate-neutrality and low environmental footprint/benefits/trade-offs and performances of bio-based products and services (e.g. by development of best practice guidelines);
• Supporting novel business models and related social measures to enable consumers, industry and public bodies to switch to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within their choices (e.g. guidelines on regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education); ensuring synergies, transparency and inclusiveness of all actors)

Scope:

The action advances the role and impact of bio-based innovation to accelerate the transition from a linear fossil-based economy, which leads to overuse and depletion of natural resources, into a resource-efficient and circular bio-based systems operating safely within planetary boundaries. Improved and informed governance and especially social innovation contributes to reducing resource consumption and results in an increased innovation capacity of all actors, while reducing the risk of leaving anyone behind, particularly in the areas and communities in need of revitalisation. This also helps to advance innovation at local scale and engage all actors (especially the ‘social enterprise’ model relevant for vulnerable populations).

Proposals should benefit from social creativity and opportunities at regional scale unleashed for bio-based systems, ensuring their low environmental footprint, in terms of feedstock, resources, processes, materials and products. Impacts and trade-offs, such as the carbon footprint and environmental footprint of the whole value chains should be part of the assessment of the bio-based systems. The proposals should seek complementarities with related actions[1], under rural development programs on the governance of bio-based innovation and ensure inclusiveness and engagement of all actors.

Social innovation is recommended when the solution is at the socio-technical interface and requires social change, new social practices, social ownership or market uptake. Proposal could explore intersectionality approaches and consider aspects like gender, ethnicity, migrant or refugee status, social class, sexual orientation and disability to ensure inclusion of marginalised groups in citizen engagement and the development of tools and guidelines.

Proposals should:

• select a range of bio-based systems where value chains can be tailored to specific needs in respect to the revitalisation of local communities (understood both in territorial and social sense), to their environmental and social impacts (benefits and trade-offs) from trade in the primary materials to the final products;
• focus on relevant new or updated business models and local capacities (feedstocks, infrastructure, human skills, etc), and innovation actors (including community knowledge and marginalised groups), to enable sufficient impacts/benefits/positive trade-offs and performances of the specific value chains;
• assess existing/develop new monitoring system and indicators of the effectiveness and robustness of existing governance schemes, to allow replication across Europe (e.g. income generation for all stakeholders, labour conditions, environmental indicators, social engagement, innovation parameters etc);
• ensure efficient engagement of all actors (public authorities, SMEs, NGOs, knowledge providers) via robust and transparent communication and awareness-rising campaigns;
• analyse social and economic barriers and potentialities to enable the transition towards socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within all ranges (e.g. regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education), ensuring inclusiveness of all actors (NGOs, civil society etc).

Cross-cutting Priorities:
Socio-economic science and humanities
Societal Engagement
Social Innovation

[1]such as the topic “HORIZON-CL6-2021-COMMUNITIES-01-02: Expertise and training centre on rural innovation”