Logo biodiversa+ European Biodiversity Partnership

BiodivERsA/Biodiversa+

Background

Biodiversa+ is a network of agencies and ministries programming and funding pan-European research on biodiversity and ecosystem services on a competitive basis.

BiodivERsA was established in 2005, the DFG joined BiodivERsA in November 2010. BiodivERsA has continuously been funded under the EU Framework Progammes FP6, FP 7 Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.

Since its start, two ERA-Nets (BiodivERsA and BiodivERsA2) and two ERA-Net Cofund (BiodivERsA3 and BiodivScen) have come to an end (but with the projects of the 2nd call of BiodivERsA3 still continuing). Currently, two ERA-Net Cofunds (BiodivClim and BiodivRestore) and a European Co-funded Partnership (Biodiversa+), which started in autumn 2021 and focusses on Rescuing biodiversity to safeguard life on Earth, are running.

Since its beginning in 2005, the network has launched 13 calls for proposals. Until now, over 180 pan-European research projects have been funded in 12 calls.

For main achievements of BiodivERsA for research on biodiversity, ecosystem services and nature-based solutions between 2008-2021, see the BiodivERsA Main Achievements brochure.

Biodiversa+: Current Co-fund Call 2024/2025

Biodiversity and Transformative Change

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) as a partner of Biodiversa+ is pleased to announce that its 4th Joint Call for transnational research projects on “Biodiversity and transformative change” (referred to as BiodivTransform) is now open: Biodiversa+ information on the BiodivTransform call (regularly updated).

Recognising that the worldwide crises of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution are highly interlinked, with an urgent need to understand trade-offs and cross-linkages both in terms of drivers and effects, this joint research call will aim for interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and/or cross-sectoral research and innovation projects to identify, analyse, and comprehend transformation processes that may halt and reverse biodiversity decline. It should generate knowledge to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as the benefits these may provide to people, through transformative change to mitigate and reverse biodiversity threats. Transformative change can be defined as “Fundamental system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values needed for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity” (IPBES 2019).

The call is not restricted in terms of specific environments nor geographic areas, encompassing all realms (terrestrial, marine, coastal and freshwater) and ecosystems experiencing various levels and sources of disturbances, including transition zones and interfaces (coastal, wetlands, urban-rural, forest-agriculture, etc.) and in integrated land/seascapes.

Projects will be expected to demonstrate academic excellence with potential for societal and policy impact regarding biodiversity, aiming to connect science, society, policy, and practices for transformative change. A two-step application procedure will apply, with a mandatory submission of pre-proposals at the first step and submission of full proposals at the second step. The closing date for pre-proposals is 8 November 2024, 15:00 CET (local time in Brussels) and the deadline to submit full proposals will be 11 April 2025, 15:00 CEST (local time in Brussels). Pre-proposals shall be submitted via an Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS) only. The link to the EPSS is available on the Biodiversa+ BiodivTransform website.

To be eligible, research consortia will have to include teams from a minimum of three different countries financially participating in the call and seek support from at least three different funding organisations (including at least two different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries). Please note that each research partner in a project who is requesting funding under this call must comply with the eligibility criteria and rules of its national/regional funding organisation.

ERA-Net BiodivERsA: 2005-2010 (without DFG)

  • Call 2008 (Biodiv 2008)
    Biodiversity: linking scientific advancement to policy and practice (without DFG)

ERA-Net BiodivERsA2: 2010-2014

  • Call 2010-2011 (BiodivValues)
    Biodiversity and ecosystem services and their valuation (with DFG)
  • Call 2011-2012 (BiodivScen2011)
    Biodiversity dynamics: developing scenarios, identifying tipping points and improving resilience (without DFG)
  • Call 2012-2013 (BiodivInvasives)
    Invasive species and biological invasions (with DFG)
  • Call 2013-2014 (BiodivAgri)
    Promoting synergies and reducing trade-offs between food supply, biodiversity and ecosystem services (without DFG)

ERA-Net Co-fund BiodivERsA3: 2/2015-4/2021

  • Co-fund Call 2015-2016 (BiodivDynamics)
    Understanding and managing biodiversity dynamics to improve ecosystem functioning and delivery of ecosystem services in a global change context: the cases of soils and sediments, and land- river and sea-scapes (habitat connectivity, green and blue infrastructures, and naturing cities) (with DFG)
  • Call 2018-2019 (BiodivHealth)
    Biodiversity and its influence on animal, human and plant health

ERA-Net Co-fund BiodivScen (BiodivERsA together with Belmont Forum): 10/2017-7/2023

  • Co-fund Call 2017-2018 (BiodivScen)
    Biodiversity Scenarios and Ecosystem services (with DFG)

ERA-Net Co-fund BiodivClim: 9/2019-8/2024

  • Co-fund Call 2019-2020 (BiodivClim)
    Biodiversity and Climate Change (with DFG)

ERA-Net Co-fund BiodivRestore (BiodivERsA together with Water JPI): 10/2020-9/2025

  • Co-fund Call 2020-2021 (BiodivRestore)
    Conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems and their biodiversity, including a focus on aquatic systems (with DFG)

European Co-funded Partnership Biodiversa+: 10/2021-9/2028

  • Co-fund Call 2021-2022 (BiodivProtect)
    Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems across land and sea (with DFG)
  • Current Co-fund Call 2022-2023 (BiodivMon)
    Improved transnational monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystem change for science and society (with DFG)
  • Current Co-fund Call 2023-2024 (BiodivNBS)
    Nature-based solutions for biodiversity, human well-being and transformative change (without DFG)
  • Co-fund Call 2024-2025 (BiodivTransform)
    Biodiversity and Transformative Change (with DFG)
  • Upcoming Co-fund Call 2025-2026 (BiodivFunc)
    on Restoration of ecosystem function, integrity, and connectivity

European Co-funded Partnership Biodiversa+ (10/2021-9/2028)

Activities, objectives, goals and vision

Information Graphic European Partnership on biodiversity

© Biodiversa+

Partners

Biodiversa+ currently* gathers 83 partners from 41 countries.

* (as of July 2024)

Further Information

For further information, please see the Biodiversa+ website.

Contact

Gaby Rerig
E-Mail: Gaby.Rerig@dfg.de
Telefon: +49 (228) 885-2406