Integrating climate-related exposures into the human exposome and characterising its changes in response to climate change

Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions Topics under this destination are directed towards the Key Strategic Orientation 1 “The Green transition” and Key Strategic Orientation 3 “A more resilient, competitive, inclusive, and democratic Europe” of Horizon Europe’s strategic plan 2025-2027[1]. Research and innovation supported under this destination should contribute to the following expected impact, set out in the strategic plan impact summary for the Health Cluster: “people's living and working environments are health-promoting and sustainable thanks to a better understanding of the environmental, occupational, social, sex and gender-related, and economic determinants of health”. The environment we live and work in is a major determinant of our health and wellbeing and climate change acts as a risk multiplier, exacerbating the health effects of environmental stressors, increasing the incidence of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions, and infectious diseases, particularly for populations in a vulnerable situation. The climatic crisis is a health crisis with impacts at the global level. Across Europe, the fastest-warming continent, heat and floods have caused devastating human and economic impact in recent years. In 2025, the Commission published a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda on Health and Climate Change[2], providing a forward-looking overview of the current and emerging research needs and gaps in the field. This agenda informs the focus and objectives of this destination, aligning with the Commission's Political Guidelines for 2024-2029[3], which emphasise the need to step up work on preventive health, climate resilience, adaptation, preparedness, and the green transition, while promoting circularity. In this Work Programme part, Destination "Living and working in a health-promoting environment" focuses on understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on human health, increasing climate adaptation and resilience and reducing the health sector's contribution to climate change. The results will support the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate change, the European Climate Adaptation Plan (thematic window on health) and the European Climate Risk Assessment by enhancing understanding of health risks and informing prevention, adaptation, and mitigation actions for populations and healthcare systems. Moreover, this destination aims to identify and amplify the co-benefits of climate action for health outcomes. This integrated approach recognises that climate mitigation measures can simultaneously deliver significant health benefits, creating positive feedback loops between climate protection and public health. Strong collaborations across sectors and with other Horizon Europe Clusters dealing with issues such as agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, food, environment, climate, biodiversity, mobility, security, urban planning, social inclusion and gender will be needed to ensure that maximal societal benefits are reached. In view of increasing the impact of EU investments under Horizon Europe, the Commission welcomes and supports cooperation between EU-funded projects to enable cross-fertilisation and create synergies. This could range from networking to joint activities such as the participation in joint workshops, the exchange of knowledge, development and adoption of best practices, or joint communication activities. Unless specified otherwise, all topics are open to international collaboration to address global climate and health challenges. Expected impacts: Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to living and working in a health-promoting environment, and more specifically to one or several of the following impacts: Policymakers and regulators are aware and well informed about climatic, environmental, socio-economic and occupational risk factors as well as health-promoting factors across society. Climatic, environmental, occupational, social, economic, and health policies and practices at the EU, national and regional level are sustainable and based on solid scientific evidence. The upstream determinants of health are known, understood and reduced. The health threats and burden and patient safety burdens resulting from exposure to climate drivers are lessened, so that the related number of deaths and illnesses is substantially reduced. Living and working environments in European cities and regions are healthier, more inclusive, safer, resilient and sustainable. The healthcare sector reduces its environmental footprint and transitions towards carbon neutrality. The adaptive capacity and resilience of populations and health systems in the EU to climate and environmental change-related to mental and physical health risks are strengthened. Citizens’ health and wellbeing are protected and promoted, and premature deaths, diseases and inequalities related to climate related risks are prevented. Citizens understand better complex climate, environment and health issues, and effective measures to address them and support related policies and regulations. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in the Annex B of the General Annexes of this Work Programme. [1] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/strategic-plan_en [2] https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/616cce9c-39e5-11f0-8a44-01aa75ed71a1 [3] https://commission.europa.eu/about/commission-2024-2029_en ">General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions, proposal page limit and layout Admissibility conditions are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries Eligible countries are 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. 3. Other Eligibility Conditions 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). The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner. The JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal - see General Annex B. Other eligibility conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes The thresholds for each criterion will be 4 (Excellence), 4 (Impact) and 4 (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. 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants Beneficiaries will be subject to the following additional dissemination obligations: Proposals should ensure that chemical monitoring and human biomonitoring data are shared in the Common Data Platform for Chemicals and its services such as the Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring - IPCHEM[[https://ipchem.jrc.ec.europa.eu]] (through involvement with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre - JRC) and the environmental sustainability database. In order to maximise synergies and increase the impact of the projects, all proposals 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). These activities will be included in a dedicated work package, having sufficient budget allocated to it (around 2% of the total requested budget). Depending on the scope of proposals selected for funding, these activities may include: Attendance of regular joint meetings (e.g. common kick-off meeting and annual meetings). Periodic report of joint activities (delivered at each reporting period). Common dissemination and communication activities (which may include, for example: a common dissemination and communication strategy, web portal and visual identity, brochure, newsletters). Common Data Management Strategy and Common Policy Strategy (including joint policy briefs). Thematic workshops/trainings on issues of common interest. Working groups on topics of common interest (e.g. data management and exchange, communication and dissemination, science-policy link, scientific synergies). The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application and evaluation forms and additional documents: Application and evaluation form templates Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) - the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) - will be used with the necessary adaptations Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreement (MGA) HE MGA Call-specific instructions Information on clinical studies (HE) Additional documents HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 4. Health HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme 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