Descrição

HORIZON-CL5-2026-07-D1-05

Expected Outcomes

Projects funded under this topic are expected to contribute comprehensively to the following outcomes:

1. Improved weather and climate model performance tailored to Africa

Actions should significantly enhance the quality, accuracy, and contextual relevance of weather and climate models for the African continent. This includes improving predictive capability for rainfall variability, droughts, floods, heatwaves, and other extreme events. Enhanced modelling capacity should directly support adaptation planning, disaster risk reduction, and preparedness strategies aligned with:

• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The results should also inform EU external adaptation priorities and strengthen global resilience frameworks.

2. Strengthened climate services for African communities

Projects should enhance the provision of actionable weather forecasts and climate projections that empower African communities, policymakers, and institutions to respond effectively to escalating climate risks. This includes improving seasonal forecasting, early warning systems, and climate risk analytics to support resilience-building and sustainable development.

3. Reinforced African climate research leadership and capacity

Actions should strengthen African scientific leadership in climate research by:

• Building long-term modelling expertise and infrastructure within African institutions
• Reducing reliance on external expertise
• Increasing African participation in global climate research initiatives such as:
  • Coupled Model Intercomparison Project
  • Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment
  • Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project

This should contribute to stronger African representation in international climate governance and scientific assessments.

Scope

Africa remains one of the most climate-vulnerable regions globally, due to high exposure and limited adaptive capacity. While advances in climate science have significantly enhanced resilience in other regions, Africa continues to face structural gaps in modelling accuracy, observational coverage, and institutional capacity.

1. Addressing Critical Knowledge Gaps

Proposals should focus on improving the scientific understanding and representation of African weather and climate dynamics at regional, interregional, or continental scales. This includes:

• Enhancing predictive skill for rainfall variability and extreme events
• Reducing model uncertainty in key impact-relevant variables
• Improving representation of coupled Earth system processes (land–atmosphere–ocean interactions)

2. Strengthening Observational and Data Systems

Actions should leverage and strengthen observational data ecosystems by:

• Improving data collection and quality assurance
• Expanding data assimilation capabilities
• Integrating local datasets and rescued historical climate records
• Ensuring robust, high-quality model inputs

Proposals are encouraged to incorporate digital innovations, including AI and machine learning methods, and exploit high-performance computing (HPC) to enhance model development and evaluation.

3. Co-Creation and Institutional Partnerships

Research must be conducted through equitable and structured collaboration between African and European institutions, ensuring co-ownership, relevance, and long-term sustainability of outcomes.

Strong partnerships should be established with:

• Universities and climate research centres
• National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs)
• African Regional Climate Centers

These collaborations should facilitate mutual learning, technology transfer, and sustainable capacity-building.

4. Access to European Research Infrastructures

Projects should facilitate African researchers’ access to advanced European research infrastructures, including supercomputing facilities and climate data repositories, to strengthen regional modelling capacity and scientific excellence.

5. Synergies and Clustering

Proposals are expected to:

• Seek complementarity with other EU-funded climate modelling and capacity-building initiatives
• Engage in clustering and knowledge-sharing activities with relevant Horizon Europe and non-Horizon projects
• Contribute to long-term institutional strengthening beyond the project lifecycle