Improving climate resilience of navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related water infrastructure

Expected Outcome:

Successful proposals will support the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Preparedness Strategy and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• Navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related infrastructure are managed in a more integrated and sustainable manner across Europe and become more climate-resilient
• Climate and environmental risks to water infrastructure (e.g. droughts, flooding, slow onset events, ecological degradation and cascading and compound events) are more effectively addressed in a systemic way. Safe, efficient and reliable navigability conditions are improved.
• Cost-efficient and environmentally friendly measures -- especially nature-based solutions -- are identified with the involvement of stakeholders. They improve climate resilience of inland waterways while supporting integrated co-benefit and avoiding competing water uses, including between countries and regions.

Scope:

Rationale

There are about 42,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways in the EU, with a network spanning 25 Member States. In 2022, 122.1 billion tonne-kilometres were transported through inland waters, making up 5,1% of the total land freight transport volumes within the EU. Inland waterways are one of the most carbon efficient mode of transportation for freight and their role should be boosted, as highlighted in the 2021 Commission Communication (NAIADES III).

While inland waterways, their surroundings and related infrastructure are at the heart of the green transition, they are also threatened by climate change and ecological degradation, which can cause severe disruptions. Adverse effects of climate change include slow-onset and seasonal changes in water availability and quality, increased flooding and prolonged periods of water scarcity and drought. The goal of this topic is to better understand and improve the climate resilience of navigable inland waterways and related interdependent systems.

Activities of the projects

Projects are expected to address all of the following aspects:

• Address the lack of a common climate modelling framework for EU waterways and improve predictions and projections to optimise waterway management in the short to long term.
• Conduct a comprehensive climate risk assessment of the EU's navigable waterway from the Trans-European Transport network (TEN-T). This assessment should cover mobility, supply chain security, critical infrastructure, geographical and economic interdependencies and multifunctional water resilience.
• Estimate the investments that are required to adapt to climate change, as well as the costs of inaction.
• Provide actionable information to guide effective climate adaptation solutions, that maximise co-benefits (including for biodiversity) and ensure integrated management of inland navigable waterways.
• Develop adaptation solutions on various waterways. Nature-based solutions and solutions supporting nature restoration should be explored as a priority, in line with the Mission Implementation Plan.
• Enhance stakeholder collaboration mechanisms
• Work closely and coordinate with the other projects funded under this topic, to maximise synergies and avoid duplications.

Links to the Mission and to other projects and initiatives

Proposals should build (when relevant) on existing knowledge and adaptation solutions developed by previous projects^[1] and explore synergies with ongoing projects from EU and national programmes as well as the International River Commissions.

Proposals should include a mechanism and the resources to establish operational links and collaboration with the Mission Implementation Platform (including on monitoring), and other relevant knowledge platforms such as PLATINA4Action. Projects funded under this topic will be expected to participate in the Mission Community of Practice and to share relevant knowledge to feed the work of the project stemming from HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-02.

Applicants should acknowledge these elements and already account for them in their proposal, making adequate provisions in terms of resources and budget to engage and collaborate with the Mission.

[1] Projects that are particularly relevant include those funded under HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-09, HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-10 or Transport Inland Waterway Portfolio of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).