Horizon Europe - Cluster 2 - Destination 2 - "Effects of climate change and natural hazards on cultural heritage and remediation"

The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of between EUR 3.00 and 4.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.

The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 12.00 million.

Research and Innovation Actions

The conditions are described in General Annex B. The following exceptions apply: If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to both of the following expected outcomes:

- Contribute to safeguarding and protecting Europe’s cultural heritage from the effects of climate change and natural hazards, including rural and remote areas, coastal and maritime cultural landscapes and underwater heritage.

- Explore innovative and sustainable ways to protect cultural heritage and cultural landscapes from climate change, disaster risks and pollutants.

Scope:

Climate change, through consequences such as global warming, rising sea levels, extended dry seasons or floods and heavy storms, is threatening our built heritage and affecting our cultural landscapes. Acid rain and environmental pollution erode and deface monuments and historical buildings. Accelerated soil erosion threatens buried archaeological heritage, while rising sea levels threaten to cover entire cities under water. Solutions provided by research to this day are not exhaustive and could not always anticipate the worsening or newly emerging effects of continuous climate change. Thus, there is a pressing need to explore and test innovative ways to protect monuments, historical buildings and sites from the effects of climate change and natural hazards.

Proposals under this topic should explore innovative and sustainable ways to protect monuments, historical buildings, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes from climate change effects, natural hazards and environmental pollution, taking into consideration their environmental footprint as well as users’ comfort. Importance should also be given to coastal and maritime regions and underwater heritage, addressing, in particular, the need for research on wetting phenomena and repellence. Proposals can consider cooperation with European Neighbourhood countries as appropriate for achieving their objectives and increasing impact. Active involvement of citizens, including young people and cooperation with the cultural and creative industries are strongly encouraged to increase citizens’ scientific literacy, raise awareness and ensure the sustainability of the approach.