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Strategic Analysis
To build a winning proposal for this topic, the consortium must adopt an integrated One Health / Planetary Health systems framework that explicitly links natural ecosystem degradation (such as climate change and biodiversity loss) to human health outcomes. A successful project should combine robust epidemiological or predictive modeling with concrete, actionable toolkits for public health authorities, establishing clear early-warning mechanisms and policy briefs that enable evidence-informed adaptation strategies.
TRL 2 → 6
Based on programme defaults
Provide strengthened evidence for health and wellbeing impacts of planetary changes, considering a systems thinking framework or a fragmentary approach focused on the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on human health (for biodiversity loss, proposals should not focus on the connection between the biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation with the prevention of zoonotic emerging diseases since this topic will be covered by CL6-2023-BIODIV: Interlinkages between biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems and the emergence of zoonotic diseases);
Provide improved understanding and modelling of human–ecological systems interactions and ecosystem-mediated effects on human health and well-being, including the attribution of health outcomes to environmental change;
Provide a methodology to identify and prioritise threats for public health caused by environmental degradation, with a view to improving preparedness of health systems to these threats, through structured processes that move from evidence to recommendations and decisions;
Investigation how infections agents that might have the capacity to adapt to other host species can spread via the environment, and how this type of insight might lead to enhanced monitoring strategies;
Lay the foundations for integrated surveillance systems considering already established monitoring systems (e.g. systematic wastewater monitoring) and using available and newly collected health, socioeconomic, and environmental data for defined populations over longer time periods. This would provide early detection of emerging disease outbreaks (e.g. zoonotic diseases, potential permafrost release of new and old pathogens) or changes in nutrition and non-communicable disease burden and support the assessment of the integrated health, environmental, and socioeconomic effect of policies and technologies.
Explore strategies to reduce environmental damage and harmful emissions (e.g. air pollution) including assessment of health co-benefits through engagement with relevant HE partnerships and missions;
Explore implications of planetary health for health systems and public health and identify opportunities to mitigate adverse health impacts of environmental degradation;
Improve risk communication to policymakers, public authorities, industry and the public and support evidence-informed decisions by policymakers, by increasing capacity to do systematic reviews and provide rigorous policy briefs;
Advance knowledge and actions to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases while reducing the environmental pressure in areas like nutrition, physical activity, and mobility, and to assess the integrated health, environmental, and socioeconomic effect of those actions (i.e. behaviour change interventions, policies or new technologies);
Provide better understanding on adaptation to climate and other environmental changes to protect human health, including the interactions between different planetary boundaries and the need to integrate adaptation and mitigation strategies;
Improved health impact assessment approaches accounting for environmental externalities and estimating the cost and benefits of interventions versus no action.
Climate and environmental policies are supported with better knowledge on the Earth natural systems and human health interactions;
Sustainable planetary health policies which foster co-benefits to human health and the health of ecosystems are supported with robust evidence;
Cross sectorial and multidisciplinary scientific collaborations, including expertise in public health and One Health, are established;
Public authorities rely on indicators about the impacts on human health of changes or degradation of natural systems to support adaptation and mitigation strategies to natural hazards;
Policymakers have better tools to improve the predictive capability and preparedness as well as to envision prevention strategies to deal with the impacts on human health of changes or degradation of ecosystems;
Citizens are engaged and informed about the impact of natural systems’ degradation on human health and behaviours aiming at the conservation of ecosystems are promoted.
Policymakers and regulators are aware and well informed about environmental, socio-economic and occupational risk factors as well as health-promoting factors across society;
Environmental, occupational, social, economic, fiscal and health policies and practices at the EU, national and regional level are sustainable and based on solid scientific evidence. These include overarching policy frameworks such as the European Green Deal, the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, the 8th Environment Action Programme, the EU Adaptation Strategy, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work and the European Environment and Health Process led by the World Health Organization;
The upstream determinants of disease - related to choices in energy generation, agricultural and food processing practices, industrial production, land use planning, built environment and construction - are known, understood and reduced;
The health threats and burden resulting from hazardous chemicals, biodiversity degradation and air, water and soil pollution and contamination is reduced, so that the related number of deaths and illnesses is substantially reduced by 2030;
Living and working environments in European cities and regions are healthier, more inclusive, safer, resilient and sustainable;
The adaptive capacity and resilience of populations and health systems in Europe to climate and environmental change-related health risks is strengthened;
Citizens’ health and well-being is protected and promoted, and premature deaths, diseases and inequalities related to environmental pollution and degradation as well as unhealthy lifestyles are prevented;
Citizens understand better complex environment and health issues, and effective measures to address them and support related policies and regulation.
European Green Deal
highThe European Green Deal is the EU's overarching growth strategy to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It aims to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, ensuring no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and decoupling economic growth from resource use. It encompasses various policy areas, including climate, energy, transport, industry, agriculture, and biodiversity.
Proposals should clearly demonstrate how their solutions contribute to the broader objectives of the European Green Deal, particularly in areas relevant to food systems, such as reducing environmental impact, fostering sustainability, enhancing resource efficiency, and contributing to climate neutrality. Specific links to relevant Green Deal strategies (e.g., Farm to Fork, Biodiversity) are expected.
Chemical Strategy for Sustainability
highThe Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability towards a Toxic-Free Environment is a key component of the European Green Deal. It aims to better protect citizens and the environment against hazardous chemicals and encourage innovation for the development of safe and sustainable alternatives.
Evaluators expect proposals to directly address the health impacts of hazardous chemical exposures and show how proposed research supports toxic-free environment goals and safe-and-sustainable-by-design concepts.
EU Adaptation Strategy
highThe EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change sets out how the European Union can adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change and become climate resilient by 2050. It emphasizes smarter, more systemic, and faster adaptation measures.
Evaluators expect clear evidence of how the project assesses climate-driven health risks and contributes to building climate-resilient health systems and communities.
EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030
highThe EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. It aims to put Europe's biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of people, climate, and the planet.
Evaluators will look for proposals that explore the direct link between ecosystem health, biodiversity loss, and human health risks, including vector-borne and zoonotic diseases.
European Environment and Health Process
highThe European Environment and Health Process (EHP) led by WHO Europe brings together health and environment sectors to address the environmental determinants of human health. It fosters cross-sectoral policy making and commitments across the WHO European region.
Evaluators expect proposals to align with intersectoral research frameworks linking environmental degradation to population health impacts, utilizing established EHIS indicators or regional action agendas.
8th Environment Action Programme
mediumThe 8th Environment Action Programme (EAP) forms the basis for achieving the EU's environmental and climate objectives up to 2030. It focuses on six priority objectives, including climate mitigation, adaptation, zero pollution, and restoring biodiversity.
Evaluators look for alignment with the 8th EAP's systemic approach, specifically how environmental degradation metrics are linked to human health outcomes within planetary boundaries.
Farm to Fork Strategy
mediumThe Farm to Fork Strategy is a key component of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly. It includes targets for reducing the environmental footprint of food production, improving animal welfare, and ensuring food security.
Proposals should show how they will contribute to the Farm to Fork Strategy's goals, particularly in terms of sustainable fisheries, reducing pollution, and ensuring safe and healthy seafood for consumers. Evaluators will look for solutions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of food systems.
EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work
mediumThis framework defines the key priorities and actions needed to improve workers' health and safety across the EU. It focuses on anticipating and managing change in the new world of work, preventing work-related diseases, and increasing preparedness for potential health crises.
Evaluators expect proposals touching upon occupational exposure to clarify how environmental factors directly impact worker safety and preventive health measures.
Helsinki Declaration
mediumThe Declaration of Helsinki is a set of ethical principles regarding human experimentation developed for the medical community by the World Medical Association (WMA). It is widely regarded as the cornerstone document on human research ethics.
Evaluators expect explicit confirmation that all research involving human subjects complies with the Declaration of Helsinki, including informed consent, risk minimization, and ethics board approval protocols.
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1. Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
In recognition of the opening of the US National Institutes of Health’s programmes to European researchers, any legal entity established in the United States of America is eligible to receive Union funding.
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).
3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
The thresholds for each criterion will be 4 (Excellence), 4 (Impact) and 3 (Implementation). The cumulative threshold will be 12.
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
In order to optimise synergies and increase the impact of the projects, all projects selected for funding from this topic will form a cluster and be required to participate in common networking and joint activities (and in determining modalities for their implementation and the specific responsibilities of projects). Depending on the scope of proposals selected for funding, these activities may include:
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
7. Specific conditions: described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Call documents:
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) - call-specific application form is available in the Submission System Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE General MGA v1.0 Information on clinical studies (HE)
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 4. Health HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Evaluators will look for proposals that go beyond isolated health assessments to deliver multidisciplinary collaboration across environmental, health, and social sciences. They will prioritize projects with strong policy relevance, actionable risk communication tools (@SC08), and practical methodologies for health system preparedness (@SC03). Additionally, evaluators will check for structured participation in the required topic cluster and synergies with relevant European Green Deal partnerships and missions.
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Provide strengthened evidence for health and wellbeing impacts of planetary changes, considering a systems thinking framework or a fragmentary approach focused on the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on human health (for biodiversity loss, proposals should not focus on the connection between the biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation with the prevention of zoonotic emerging diseases since this topic will be covered by CL6-2023-BIODIV: Interlinkages between biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems and the emergence of zoonotic diseases); | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Provide improved understanding and modelling of human–ecological systems interactions and ecosystem-mediated effects on human health and well-being, including the attribution of health outcomes to environmental change; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Provide a methodology to identify and prioritise threats for public health caused by environmental degradation, with a view to improving preparedness of health systems to these threats, through structured processes that move from evidence to recommendations and decisions; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Investigation how infections agents that might have the capacity to adapt to other host species can spread via the environment, and how this type of insight might lead to enhanced monitoring strategies; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Lay the foundations for integrated surveillance systems considering already established monitoring systems (e.g. systematic wastewater monitoring) and using available and newly collected health, socioeconomic, and environmental data for defined populations over longer time periods. This would provide early detection of emerging disease outbreaks (e.g. zoonotic diseases, potential permafrost release of new and old pathogens) or changes in nutrition and non-communicable disease burden and support the assessment of the integrated health, environmental, and socioeconomic effect of policies and technologies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6Explore strategies to reduce environmental damage and harmful emissions (e.g. air pollution) including assessment of health co-benefits through engagement with relevant HE partnerships and missions; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC7Explore implications of planetary health for health systems and public health and identify opportunities to mitigate adverse health impacts of environmental degradation; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC8Improve risk communication to policymakers, public authorities, industry and the public and support evidence-informed decisions by policymakers, by increasing capacity to do systematic reviews and provide rigorous policy briefs; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC9Advance knowledge and actions to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases while reducing the environmental pressure in areas like nutrition, physical activity, and mobility, and to assess the integrated health, environmental, and socioeconomic effect of those actions (i.e. behaviour change interventions, policies or new technologies); | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC10Provide better understanding on adaptation to climate and other environmental changes to protect human health, including the interactions between different planetary boundaries and the need to integrate adaptation and mitigation strategies; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC11Improved health impact assessment approaches accounting for environmental externalities and estimating the cost and benefits of interventions versus no action. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Climate and environmental policies are supported with better knowledge on the Earth natural systems and human health interactions; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Sustainable planetary health policies which foster co-benefits to human health and the health of ecosystems are supported with robust evidence; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Cross sectorial and multidisciplinary scientific collaborations, including expertise in public health and One Health, are established; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO4Public authorities rely on indicators about the impacts on human health of changes or degradation of natural systems to support adaptation and mitigation strategies to natural hazards; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO5Policymakers have better tools to improve the predictive capability and preparedness as well as to envision prevention strategies to deal with the impacts on human health of changes or degradation of ecosystems; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO6Citizens are engaged and informed about the impact of natural systems’ degradation on human health and behaviours aiming at the conservation of ecosystems are promoted. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1One Health / Planetary Health systems frameworkProposals must adopt an integrated One Health / Planetary Health systems framework explicitly linking natural ecosystem degradation (such as climate change and biodiversity loss) to human health outcomes. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Multidisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and trans-border research approachUnderstanding and acting upon environmental degradation challenges calls for a multidisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and trans-border approach ranging from local to global scales, integrating environmental, health, and social sciences. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Mandatory project clustering and networking activitiesAll projects selected for funding under this topic will form a cluster and are required to participate in common networking and joint activities, including joint meetings, common dissemination strategies, and shared policy strategies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Engagement with HE partnerships and missionsProjects should explore strategies to reduce environmental damage and harmful emissions by engaging with relevant Horizon Europe partnerships and missions. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Use of Copernicus, Galileo, or EGNOS satellite dataIf projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing data, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Open international collaborationAll topics under this destination are open to international collaboration to address global environment and health challenges. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ7US entity funding eligibilityIn recognition of the opening of US NIH programmes to European researchers, legal entities established in the United States are eligible to receive Union funding. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1Policymakers and regulators are aware and well informed about environmental, socio-economic and occupational risk factors as well as health-promoting factors across society; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI2Environmental, occupational, social, economic, fiscal and health policies and practices at the EU, national and regional level are sustainable and based on solid scientific evidence. These include overarching policy frameworks such as the European Green Deal, the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, the 8th Environment Action Programme, the EU Adaptation Strategy, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work and the European Environment and Health Process led by the World Health Organization; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI3The upstream determinants of disease - related to choices in energy generation, agricultural and food processing practices, industrial production, land use planning, built environment and construction - are known, understood and reduced; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI4The health threats and burden resulting from hazardous chemicals, biodiversity degradation and air, water and soil pollution and contamination is reduced, so that the related number of deaths and illnesses is substantially reduced by 2030; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI5Living and working environments in European cities and regions are healthier, more inclusive, safer, resilient and sustainable; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI6The adaptive capacity and resilience of populations and health systems in Europe to climate and environmental change-related health risks is strengthened; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI7Citizens’ health and well-being is protected and promoted, and premature deaths, diseases and inequalities related to environmental pollution and degradation as well as unhealthy lifestyles are prevented; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI8Citizens understand better complex environment and health issues, and effective measures to address them and support related policies and regulation. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1european green dealThe European Green Deal is the EU's overarching growth strategy to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It aims to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, ensuring no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and decoupling economic growth from resource use. It encompasses various policy areas, including climate, energy, transport, industry, agriculture, and biodiversity. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2chemical strategy for sustainabilityThe Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability towards a Toxic-Free Environment is a key component of the European Green Deal. It aims to better protect citizens and the environment against hazardous chemicals and encourage innovation for the development of safe and sustainable alternatives. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL3eu adaptation strategyThe EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change sets out how the European Union can adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change and become climate resilient by 2050. It emphasizes smarter, more systemic, and faster adaptation measures. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL4eu biodiversity strategy 2030The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. It aims to put Europe's biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of people, climate, and the planet. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL5european environment and health processThe European Environment and Health Process (EHP) led by WHO Europe brings together health and environment sectors to address the environmental determinants of human health. It fosters cross-sectoral policy making and commitments across the WHO European region. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
5 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
Proposals addressing biodiversity loss must strictly avoid focusing on the link between ecosystem degradation and the emergence of zoonotic diseases. This specific pathway is explicitly excluded and covered by a separate Cluster 6 call, meaning any proposal centering on it risks being declared out of scope.
Source: Scope
Unlike standard Horizon Europe rules, this call explicitly allows legal entities established in the United States of America to receive Union funding. Consortia should strategically leverage this exception to integrate leading US-based planetary health researchers or institutions without requiring them to secure their own national funding.
Source: Eligibility rules
All funded projects under this topic are required to form a cluster and execute joint networking, data management, and policy activities. Consortia must explicitly allocate budget and define work package tasks for these mandatory joint activities, including common policy briefs and shared dissemination strategies.
Source: Eligibility rules
Scoring will heavily favor proposals that move beyond isolated health assessments to deliver actionable risk communication tools and practical methodologies for health system preparedness. Evaluators are explicitly instructed to look for multidisciplinary integration across environmental, health, and social sciences that directly supports evidence-informed decisions by policymakers.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
If the project methodology relies on satellite-based earth observation or positioning data to track environmental degradation, the consortium must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Failing to integrate these specific European systems when using satellite data violates a direct eligibility condition.
Source: Eligibility rules
Talk to the Grant Coach to build your concept. The steps below fill in as it takes shape, and your coverage tracks the progress. You can refine everything once your project workspace is created.
Step 1 of 2 · Build your concept
The problems this call frames, and who they affect. Your concept and plan address them.
Current health monitoring systems often operate in silos, failing to integrate real-time environmental, socioeconomic, and ecological data to accurately attribute health outcomes to planetary changes.
Public health authorities lack standardized frameworks to prioritize emerging public health threats caused by ecosystem degradation and to assess the cost of non-action.
Regional, national, and EU-level policy makers responsible for designing health adaptation strategies, environmental regulation, and emergency preparedness plans.
Research communities focusing on planetary health, One Health, climate-health modeling, and environmental surveillance networks.
Citizens facing high exposure to climate hazards, environmental degradation, or non-communicable disease risk factors who benefit from improved prevention and targeted risk communication.
Step 2 of 2 · Build your concept
The long-term impacts your project should drive — this shapes the objectives next.
Strengthened capacity of healthcare systems to predict, prepare for, and respond to planetary health hazards, leading to reduced disease burdens.
Improved health impact assessment and targeted risk mitigation strategies leading to lower mortality from environmental pollution and lifestyle/environmental risk factors.