National Contact Point Bioeconomy and Environment

Welcome to the NCP Bioeconomy and Environment!

The EU’s new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe, sees a new arrangement of the programme structure and of allocation of the major research themes. The newly established National Contact Point Bioeconomy and Environment is available now to inform and advise you in relation to the themes and calls issued under the cluster ‘Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment’ (cluster 6).

The NCP Bioeconomy and Environment acts on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and is hosted by Project Management Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. Our services are competent, independent and free-of-charge. With offices in Bonn and Berlin, we are available to offer support in person, per telephone, by email or online.

The materials prepared by the NCP Bioeconomy and Environment are generally in German. Nevertheless, the staff of the NCP Bioeconomy and Environment are willing and able to provide support to all international research stakeholders based in Germany in English. We can also offer presentations at your information events in English.

Cluster 6

The cluster ‘Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment’ covers a wide range of topics in Horizon Europe. In addition to the topics already mentioned in the title, the portfolio of cluster 6 also includes, for example, biodiversity, circular economy, climate measures and the strengthening of rural and urban communities. The NCP Bioeconomy and Environment advises on all topics in cluster 6 and is available for the newly introduced missions on the subjects of soil and water. In addition, we will inform and advise you on the calls of the thematically appropriate partnerships.

Destinations

In Horizon Europe the work programme parts are structured according to ‘destinations’. These destinations give an orientation with regard to the objectives that the European Commission wants to achieve with particular sets of research and innovation activities.

The seven destinations identified for the cluster ‘Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment’ derive from the seven ‘expected impacts’ cited for the cluster in the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan outlines the priorities of the Commission for the period 2021–2024. The expected impacts referred to in the plan reflect, in turn, the relevant thematic priorities from the European Green Deal.

For each destination a series of additional, more specific expected impacts is described. Ultimately, the many projects and their various outcomes should in their sum contribute to the attainment of these impacts. The seven destinations of the cluster are described below.

Current calls

The first round of calls in Horizon Europe was published on the Funding and Tenders Portal. The individual topics are entered in the Funding and Tenders Portal and can be searched there.

Further information on the individual calls for proposals in the various destinations of the 2021-2022 work programme for the cluster ‘Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment’ can be found in the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2024. For more information, see also Current calls  (the link leads to the main German version of the website).

Our themes

Biodiversity and ecosystem services

The ‘European Green Deal’ and the new ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030’ produced by the Commission seek to set Europe on a path to ecological recovery by the year 2030.

Destination 1 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems

National, EU and global food systems, from farm to fork, face – and are the source of – a multitude of challenges in relation to sustainability.

Destination 2 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors

The research and innovation activities funded under this destination will contribute to facilitating the evolution to a climate-neutral circular economy and bioeconomy.

Destination 3 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Clean environment and zero pollution

The Earth’s ecosystems are being degraded by environmental pollution caused by humans and, as a consequence, the supply of natural resources vital for humankind is threatened.

Destination 4 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Land, oceans and water for climate action

The effects of climate change on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, on natural resources, agriculture and food systems must be investigated and options for mitigation and adaptation must be identified.

Destination 5 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities

Rural and coastal areas play a central role in the management and protection of natural resources. The continued supply of both private and public goods from these areas depends greatly on their resilience and their attractiveness.

Destination 6 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Support of the Green Deal

The transformative changes necessary under the ‘European Green Deal’ represent dynamic processes in need of appropriate steering mechanisms. These, in turn, require reliable data and information from a variety of sources.

Destination 7 (the link leads to the main German version of the website)

Events

The NCP Bioeconomy and Environment provides a wide range of events for you. For more information, see Service (the link leads to the main German version of the website).

Information about our own events and other event offers can be found under Events (the link leads to the main German version of the website).

News

The NCP Bioeconomy and Environment provides you with cluster- and theme-specific updates under News (the link leads to the main German version of the website).

Contact us

If you have questions or need support with your proposal or application, please contact

Dr. David Butler Manning
Dr. Shilpi Saxena

+49 30 20119 3682