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Urban nature: supporting restoration of urban ecosystems, along urban transport networks and in the built environment

HORIZON-MISS-2027-07-CLIMA-CIT-NEB-01 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingIADeadline 22 September 2027around EUR 10 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-MISS-2027-07-CLIMA-CIT-NEB-01
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-MISS-2027-07 — Joint Call between the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission
Type of actionInnovation Actions
Opening9 February 2027
Deadline22 September 2027
Budgetaround EUR 10 million per project · 4 projects expected · EUR 40 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 7–8
Part B page limit40 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes. The topic says: “Projects are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Development of approaches, tools and methods, on how and where to restore, increase and maintain urban green space and tree canopy cover to achieve the greatest positive impacts - on climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, soil, air and water quality, quality of life, and human health.
  2. EO2 Uptake and deployment of solutions to map, restore, increase and maintain urban green space and tree canopy cover, via pilot sites in lead cities, including along urban transport networks.
  3. EO3 Monitoring, evaluation and assessment of the environmental, economic, social and health impacts of the solutions deployed in pilot sites, including co-benefits and trade-offs.
  4. EO4 Dissemination of results to follower cities and relevant target groups in other countries and cities.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO4), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
  • Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

  • “Projects are required to address all of the following aspects:. deploy innovative measures and practices to increase urban green spaces and/or tree canopy cover in at least two pilot sites in two lead cities, including at least one pilot site along an urban transport network or in the built environment. involve local communities, including disadvantaged groups, and local stakeholders, including public and private land and property owners, in…”
  • “Each project funded under this topic must involve entities from at least four cities, each from a different Member State or Associated Country.”
  • “At least one of the four cities must be one of the 112 cities selected for the EU Mission on Climate-neutral and Smart Cities and at least one must be a signatory to the Adaptation Mission Charter.”
  • “Pilot sites should be created in at least two lead cities, and structured engagement should take place with at least two follower cities to share best practices.”
  • “Proposals should review, build on and connect to other relevant projects funded by Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020 and LIFE, to avoid overlaps or contradicting conclusions.”
  • “To increase impact and coherence, proposals should include a mechanism and the resources to establish operational links and collaboration/coordination with the ‘Climate-Neutral Smart cities’ Mission platform, the Adaptation Mission Implementation Platform and the 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact'.”
  • “Collaboration with these Platforms is essential, and projects must ensure that appropriate provisions for activities and resources aimed at enforcing this collaboration are included in the work plan of the proposal.”
  • “Synergies should also be explored and, as appropriate, pursued with other relevant initiatives, such as the Green City Accord, European Green Capital / Leaf Awards, LIFE projects, European Urban Initiative and the Covenant of Mayors.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 40 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • TRL: the topic expects TRL 7–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
  • Other Eligibility Conditions: “The following additional eligibility criteria apply: Entities from at least four cities, each from a different Member State or Associated Country, must participate as beneficiaries. At least one of the four cities must be one of the 112 cities selected for the EU Mission on Climate-neutral and Smart Cities[[ The EU…”
  • Legal and financial set-up of the grants: “Grants awarded under this topic will be linked to the following action(s): Collaboration with the Cities Mission Platform[[Conceived through the Horizon 2020 project NetZeroCities - Accelerating cities' transition to net zero emissions by 2030, Grant Agreement n. 101036519, and scaled up through the topic…”

Impact pathway and traps

  • The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
  • The topic expects cooperation with other projects or initiatives. Reserve effort and budget for it in the work plan.
  • Policy or regulation is in scope. Name the policy owners you will reach and what you will give them.
  • Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
  • Link your outcomes to the destination's expected impacts in the Work Programme. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
  • Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
  • Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published

To address the expected outcomes, individual projects will be required to address all the following aspects, with at least three in each pilot site: Develop and test approaches, tools and methods to understand how different patterns of urban green space and tree canopy cover impact on local temperature regulation / heat island effect, biodiversity, water scarcity, stormwater and landslide management, local air quality; and how changing / increasing the distribution / quantity / quality / connectivity of urban green space and tree canopy cover could help build more resilient and biodiverse urban ecosystems. Identify obstacles and barriers limiting the development of urban green spaces and tree planting / maintenance, including governance aspects, interface issues between green structures and underground infrastructure (underground pipes, etc.) and overall root growth and survival, water scarcity and the shortage of supplies of native tree seedlings. Develop innovative solutions that address such barriers and ensure the sustainability of urban green spaces and trees. Develop innovative measures and practices to increase urban green space and tree canopy cover, with consideration of what types of trees or other plants are best suited to enhancing local biodiversity, prioritizing native species, supporting climate mitigation and adaptation, reducing air pollution, improving human health and quality of life while ensuring connectivity to avoid isolated or fragmented solutions. Explore multifunctional solutions, addressing infrastructure and urban planning that can bring co-benefits on aspects such as managing stormwater, enhancing biodiversity, providing recreational spaces, sheltering from extreme weather, reducing inequitable access to nature, improving air quality, reducing noise, improving accessibility. Projects are required to address all of the following aspects: deploy innovative measures and practices to increase urban green spaces and/or tree canopy cover in at least two pilot sites in two lead cities, including at least one pilot site along an urban transport network or in the built environment. involve local communities, including disadvantaged groups, and local stakeholders, including public and private land and property owners, in the design and development of these measures and practices monitor, evaluate and assess the environmental, economic, social and health impacts of the measures taken in the pilot sites. outline plans for ensuring the sustainability and legacy of the efforts beyond the project's duration. Each project funded under this topic must involve entities from at least four cities, each from a different Member State or Associated Country. At least one of the four cities must be one of the 112 cities selected for the EU Mission on Climate-neutral and Smart Cities and at least one must be a signatory to the Adaptation Mission Charter. Pilot sites should be created in at least two lead cities, and structured engagement should take place with at least two follower cities to share best practices. Proposals should review, build on and connect to other relevant projects funded by Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020 and LIFE, to avoid overlaps or contradicting conclusions. To increase impact and coherence, proposals should include a mechanism and the resources to establish operational links and collaboration/coordination with the ‘Climate-Neutral Smart cities’ Mission platform, the Adaptation Mission Implementation Platform and the 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact'. Collaboration with these Platforms is essential, and projects must ensure that appropriate provisions for activities and resources aimed at enforcing this collaboration are included in the work plan of the proposal. The selected projects will engage in clustering activities with other relevant projects supported under the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and Climate Adaption Missions as well as the New European Bauhaus Facility to promote synergies and complementarities. Synergies should also be explored and, as appropriate, pursued with other relevant initiatives, such as the Green City Accord, European Green Capital / Leaf Awards, LIFE projects, European Urban Initiative and the Covenant of Mayors. This action supports the follow-up to the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions assessment. It also supports the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation.

Technology readiness, as published

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Urban transport networks can include streets, roads, car parks, public transport systems, pavements, waterways and other non-motorized transport infrastructure. Environmental impacts should include at least: air-water-soil quality, ambient temperature, biodiversity, noise. Economic impacts should include…

Other topics in HORIZON-MISS-2027-07

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.