Open topic: Uncovering the causes of specific species’ rapid decline and exploring actionable solutions

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• drivers behind the rapid decline of specific species are better understood;
• policymakers, land, water and sea managers, national agencies and other stakeholders are provided with fast, practical and effective measures to prevent further decline and promote the recovery of affected species populations, thus contributing to the EU objectives of nature protection and climate mitigation and adaptation.

Scope:

As a result of unsustainable human activities, the global population of wild species is estimated to have fallen by more than 70% over the last 50 years^[1]. This is notably documented for bird populations, with long-term trends demonstrating that Europe has experienced a major decline in biodiversity^[2]. Some species that were considered common in the past have recently been assessed as threatened or endangered.

Proposals should support the implementation of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, and particularly target 4: “by 2030, significant areas of degraded and carbon-rich ecosystems are restored. Habitats and species show no deterioration in conservation trends and status; and at least 30% reach favourable conservation status or at least show a positive trend”, the EU legislation on biodiversity protection and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), especially target 4: “Halt Species Extinction, Protect Genetic Diversity, and Manage Human-Wildlife Conflicts”.

Successful proposals should:

• assess and improve the understanding of the drivers of decline of common or widespread species (present in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries) which current decline is not easily explained, to be identified and selected by the proposals. This topic is open to species from all types of ecosystems including marine, freshwater, and terrestrial;
• develop and test innovative approaches and actionable solutions to address the decline;
• develop plans to support future uptake and upscaling after the research project and assess how tools, methods and solutions can be adapted and applied across different regions and contexts;
• consider the need for long-term ecological monitoring of the selected species populations and associated habitats, e.g. provide recommendations and consider possible options for long-term monitoring;
• if relevant, provide policy recommendations.

Proposals should foresee appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service. Cooperation with the European partnership Biodiversa+ should also be ensured.

International cooperation is encouraged, when relevant, especially in the cases of migratory species or species with transboundary populations.

[1] WWF (2024) Living Planet Report 2024 – A System in Peril. WWF, Gland, Switzerland

[2] European Environment Agency 2023