Strengthen the bilateral cooperation on research infrastructures with Africa: improving the knowledge base on climate change in Africa

Call updates

Jun 22, 2021 4:20:13 PM
The submission session is now available for: HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-05(HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-02(HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-03(HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-01(HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-04(HORIZON-CSA)

Strengthen the bilateral cooperation on research infrastructures with Africa: improving the knowledge base on climate change in Africa
TOPIC ID: HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-01-02

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call: Developing, consolidating and optimising the European research infrastructures landscape, maintaining global leadership (2021) (HORIZON-INFRA-2021-DEV-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: 23 September 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

• contribution to the new Commission strategy with Africa, notably to the following specific objectives: maximise the benefits of the green transition and minimise threats to the environment in full compliance with the Paris Agreement; rapidly enhance learning, knowledge and skills, research and innovation capacities (with attention to female and young researchers);
• enhanced research capacities in Africa for climate change observation;
• enhanced Euro-African cooperation in R&I on measurements for climate change observation.

Scope:

This topic aims at fostering EU-Africa cooperation to enhance climate (including Green House Gas and Short Lived Climate Forcers – GHG and SLCF) observation capacity across Africa. EU-Africa cooperation in the field of GHG observation will also include sharing of good practices and experiences to facilitate the development of a strategic approach for structuring R&I capacities at pan-African level. Particular attention should be given to tropical and sub-tropical Africa, which are currently the least covered regions in terms of climate observation. The participation of African partners is mandatory.

Proposals should address all following aspects:

• establish a concept for a Pan-African climate observation RI including the underlying data infrastructure and the related digital transformation;; attention should be paid to open and FAIR principles in data management policies.
• support the exchange of staff between several African countries and European research infrastructures to create expertise for the design, the governance and the operation of an integrated Pan-African RI for climate observation;

Proposals should build on existing cooperation activities between African and European countries and take into account the outcomes of previous and ongoing initiatives. The potential contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) should be taken into account.

Proposals are encouraged to take advantage of Copernicus[1], its Data and Information Access Services (DIAS), the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) infrastructure, the European Commission Atmospheric Observatory for Greenhouse Gases[2] of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), as well as of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) observation systems and networks[3], or other existing data access solutions to optimise use of resources.

Cross-cutting Priorities:
Africa

[1]Under the Copernicus administrative arrangement with the African Union Commission, Copernicus data is made available to African stakeholders via dedicated regional centres in Africa. Copernicus data and services are available free, full and open and should be exploited.

[2]https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-facility/greenhouse-gas-monitoring

[3]https://public.wmo.int/en/about-us/vision-and-mission/wmo-integrated-global-observing-system; https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/new-global-basic-observing-network-gets-go-ahead