Newsletter July 2021

Junior Water Jump

INTERNATIONAL WATER INNOVATION COMPETITION

“Solutions against pollutants,pathogens and antimicrobial resistances in the water cycle”

Are you an innovator, a startup company based in Europe or in a Water JPI member country? Do you have an innovative solution to solve the challenges in the water cycle?

_

Apply for the JUNIOR WATER JUMP!

The JUNIOR WATER JUMP is a water-related startup competition focusing on solutions with initial evidence to assess, to reduce and/or to avoid pollutants, pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the water cycle.

This international competition is planned as part of the 2021 Water JPI Conference on November 17, 2021 in Mülheim an der Ruhr.

The competition is aimed at young innovators and startup companies with “Marketable and efficient solutions". It gives young companies in the water sector the opportunity to present their business models and creative ideas. Digital solutions or significant digital parts of a solution are of special interest.

REGISTRATION

What are the next steps?

Submission of project description – 16 August
Submission of video pitches – 17 September
Notification of finalists – 15 October
Conference awarding – 17 November

Sign up for the conference newsletter to stay updated

Who are the supporters?

The 3rd Water JPI Conference as anchor-event is hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The Junior Water Jump is organized by RWW Rheinisch-Westfälische Wasserwerksgesellschaft mbH.

_

About the Water JPI Conference

The 3^rd Water JPI Conference is organized under the motto “FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICE: POLLUTANTS, PATHOGENS AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCES IN THE WATER CYCLE” and takes place as a hybrid event due to the pandemic situation. The central themes of the event are pollutants, pathogens and antibiotic resistance in the water cycle. The focus is on the transfer from science to application. Therefore, the event is not only aimed at the scientific community, but explicitly also at companies, associations, municipalities and utility companies.

Find more information and register on the Water JPI Conference dedicated webpage:

waterjpi-conference-muelheim.com

Special issuesProgress on water JPIOpportunities

AQUATAP-ES Stakeholders Event: Aquatic ecosystem services on the science-policy-practice connection: challenges and opportunities

The Water JPI and AQUATAP-ES network organized a stakeholders showcase event on “Aquatic ecosystem services on the science-policy-practice connection: challenges and opportunities”. The virtual event was held on 22nd June 2021, showcasing the extensive outputs from the AQUATAP-ES network over its 24-month lifespan to date. It also included a high-level panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities of integrating the Ecosystems services approach into everyday management of our water resource. The panel also discussed the potential future of the network and how to sustain the group going forward. A Question and Answer session was facilitated with attendees’ questions being put to the panel for consideration and discussion; and finally, the key points were wrapped up.

Following an introduction of the Water JPI and its activities, Prof. José María Bodoque del Pozo (AQUATAP-ES Scientific Coordinator 2020-2021) presented the key achievements of the first Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) action AQUATAP-ES entitled “Developing Approaches for Assessing and Optimising the Value of Ecosystem Services’’. The outputs of the AQUATAP-ES network are available on the Water JPI website.

The success of the event was undoubtedly enabled by the support and open discussion of the distinguished high-level panel of experts and key stakeholders; namely Ronald de Bruin (Director of the COST Association), Panagiotis Balabanis (Head of Sector water, DG RTD), Mostafa Panahi (Environmental and Energy Economics Expert IPBES), Prof. Mary Kelly Quinn (AQUATAP-ES Scientific Coordinator 2019-2020) and Nihat Zal (Water Resources, Water Scarcity and Droughts Expert, EEA).

This showcase event brought together researchers, water and catchment managers and policy-makers from European and International institutions and stakeholders, Member States, universities and research institutes. Its aim was to identify common challenges and solutions to integrating the Ecosystem Services Approach into everyday management of our waters. The webinar also offered interactive opportunities of exchange around the sustainability of the AQUATAP-ES network and the future for the Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) action.

The presentation and the report of the High-Level Panel Discussion and interactive session with participants are available on the event webpage here.

The AQUATAP-ES relies on the establishment of a network or cluster of excellence of national research & innovation projects from across Europe with the overall goal to inform Policy & Practice by seeking to foster integration of the ecosystem service concept/ framework into decision-making relating to the management of aquatic resources. As part of the event, some of the projects that participated in the AQUATAP action on Ecosystem Services realized a video that briefly illustrates their projects objectives and main results.

Watch the video: here

More information on the AQUATAP-ES network and outcomes here

Progress on water JPIEvents

Welcome to new Water JPI member countries!

Progress on water JPI

Commission to invest €14.7 billion from Horizon Europe for a healthier, greener and more digital Europe

On 16 June 2021; the European Commission has adopted the main work programme of Horizon Europe for the period 2021-2022, which outlines the objectives and specific topic areas that will receive a total of €14.7 billion in funding. These investments will help accelerate the green and digital transitions and will contribute to sustainable recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and to EU resilience against future crises. They will support European researchers through fellowships, training and exchanges, build more connected and efficient European innovation ecosystems and create world-class research infrastructures. Moreover, they will encourage participation across Europe and from around the world, while at the same time strengthening the European Research Area.

Key messages:

Horizon Europe delivers on climate neutrality and digital leadership
International cooperation for bigger impact: strategic, open, and reciprocal

More than four in ten euros - around €5.8 billion in total - will be invested in research and innovation to support the European Green Deal and the Union's commitment to make the EU the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The funds will support projects that advance the science of climate change, and that develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changing climate. For example, activities will accelerate the transition towards clean energy and mobility in a sustainable and fair way, help adapt food systems and support the circular and bio-economy, maintain and enhance natural carbon sinks in ecosystems, and foster adaptation to climate change.

International cooperation in research and innovation is essential for tackling global challenges and to enable Europe to access resources, know-how, scientific excellence, value chains and markets that are developing in other areas of the world. In May 2021, the European Commission presented a Global Approach to Research and Innovation, Europe's strategy for international cooperation in a changing world. With this, the EU aims to deliver solutions and facilitate global responses to global challenges, based on multilateralism, openness and reciprocity. The work programme of Horizon Europe for 2021-2022 includes dedicated actions to support and strengthen cooperation through multilateral initiatives in areas such as biodiversity and climate protection, environmental observations, ocean research or global health. It also includes targeted actions with key non-EU partners, including the first ever ambitious and comprehensive “Africa Initiative”.

Learn more and find the work programme here.

Droplets

Have your say - Source to sea take the survey

DropletsCall for input

Have your say - Integrated water management: revised lists of surface and groundwater pollutants

DropletsCall for input

GWP Report on “Mobilising Change: 10 years of climate resilient water investments”

Droplets

New WASAG White Paper “Can water productivity improvements save us from global water scarcity?”

Droplets

Call for abstracts - Amsterdam International Water Week 2021, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2-5 November 2021

OpportunitiesCall for abstract/presentation

Calls for Proposals - Horizon Europe Cluster 6: “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment”

OpportunitiesCall for proposal

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

On 22 June 2021, the Commission announced new calls to support researchers' training, skills and career development under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the EU's flagship funding programme under Horizon Europe for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. The calls follow the adoption of the Horizon Europe 2021-2022 work programme. With a total budget of €6.6 billion over 2021-2027, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions support researchers from all over the world, at all stages of their careers and in all disciplines. They also benefit institutions by supporting excellent doctoral, postdoctoral programmes and collaborative research, and innovation projects, boosting their global attractiveness and visibility and fostering cooperation beyond academia, including with big companies and SMEs.

In 2021, the MSCA will provide around €822 million covering the following five main actions of the work programme:

MSCA Doctoral Networks – implement doctoral programmes training doctoral candidates in academia and other sectors, including industry and businesses. The 2021 call, with a budget of €402.95 million, is open and closes on 16 November 2021.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships – enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and wishing to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. The funding will be available to researchers ready to pursue frontier research and innovation projects in Europe and worldwide, including in the non-academic sector. The 2021 call, with a budget of €242 million, is open and closes on 12 October 2021.
MSCA Staff Exchanges – develop international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary sustainable collaboration in research and innovation through exchanging staff. The scheme helps turn ideas into innovative products, services or processes. The 2021 call, with a budget of €72.5 million, will open on 7 October 2021 and will close on 9 March 2022.
MSCA COFUND – co-finances new or existing doctoral programmes and postdoctoral fellowship schemes in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries with the aim of spreading best practices of the MSCA. This includes international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research training, as well as international and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers at all stages of their career. The 2021 call, with a budget of €89 million, will open on 12 October 2021 and will close on 10 February 2022.
MSCA and Citizens – brings research closer to students, families and the public at large mainly through the European Researchers' Night. The action increases awareness of the impact of researchers' work on citizens' lives, society and economy, and boosts public recognition of science and research. It also aims to raise the interest of young people in research and scientific careers. The 2022 call, with a budget of €15.5 million, covers the 2022 and 2023 editions of the European Researchers' Night and is open with a deadline on 7 October 2021.