Towards 2030 - policies and decision tools for an integrated management of natural resources

Specific Challenge

Policies influencing the management and use of natural resources at national and EU levels have evolved considerably in the past decades as underpinning objectives have widened to meet societal needs (food security, environment, energy, climate change, etc.). However, this process has been fragmented and incomplete. In addition the technology and information available to decision-makers have advanced significantly in this time. To ensure sustainable management of natural resources in the long term there is a need for an integrated framework that addresses all society's objectives appropriately by incentivising actions / behaviours / investments contributing to desirable targets. Appropriate decision-support tools are needed to help implement such an integrated and systemic approach.

Scope

Activities will take place on various geographic scales reflecting levels of policy / use relevance, from regional to EU levels. Investigations relating to both policy and decision tools will be fully participatory so as to ensure the involvement of the society at large. Policy development will take account of all current and expected major societal needs as regards natural resources and their use in terms of products and other types of goods, services and functions. Decision-support tools and models will help prioritise multiple resource uses (e.g. land, water) at various geographic scales (meso level and related regional strategies + national/EU level for general policies), taking advantage of existing databases and tools and what is possible on the basis of modern capabilities. Activities will cover agricultural and forestry land. While focusing on Europe, proposals are encouraged to draw on good examples from elsewhere.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 8 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude the submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact

The project results are expected to:

  • improve knowledge of land and water resource availability and use at various geographic scales;
  • improve decision support tools for the management of land and water resources; and
  • provide a coherent and integrated policy framework for the management of natural resources at regional / national / EU levels.
Institution
Date de candidature
Discipline
Sciences sociales : Gestion et administration publique, Economie, Sciences environnementales, Sciences de l'éducation, Science politique, Sociologie
Humanités : Anthropologie & Ethnologie
Autres : Biologie, Physique, mathématiques et ingénierie