HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-20

Assessing the effect of airport operations on air quality and noise in nearby communities

Status
forthcoming
Programme
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Action type
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Opens
15 Dec 2026
Deadline
14 Apr 2027
Fetched
15 Jul 2026, 07:18 UTC
Plain-language summary

Research on airport operations' impact on air quality, noise, water pollution, and health in nearby communities with real-world measurements and pilot tests.

This call funds research to assess how airport activities affect air quality, noise levels, and water pollution in surrounding areas. Projects should include real-time measurements and pilot testing at airports near urban or rural communities. The goal is to develop methods to evaluate health impacts and improve emission data for better environmental policies.

Likely relevant for

  • Environmental scientists
  • Air quality researchers
  • Noise pollution experts
  • Public health researchers
  • Aviation industry researchers
  • Environmental policy analysts

Project signals

Focus on airport-related emissions and noiseUse of real-world and real-time measurement dataPilot testing at multiple airportsAssessment of water pollution near airportsDevelopment of health impact assessment methodsIntegration of previous EU project results

What it funds

  • Real-time and real-world measurement of airport pollutant and noise emissions
  • Differentiation of emission sources including ground operations and flight phases
  • Pilot testing at two airports near urban/rural communities and water bodies
  • Investigation of health and environmental effects of various pollutants including non-regulated emissions
  • Assessment of emissions from Auxiliary Power Units and Ground Power Units
  • Development of methodologies for health impact assessment of pollutants and noise
  • Use of gender-disaggregated and intersectional data analysis
  • Building on results from previous EU projects such as AVIATOR, nPETS, TUBE, ANIMA, and NEEDED

Expected outcomes

  • Improved assessment of airport operations' impact on air quality and water bodies
  • Better emission factors for inventories and projections supporting emission reduction plans
  • Recommendations for improved measurement certification and testing
  • Methodology to assess health impacts of pollutants and noise in airport vicinities
  • Pilot-tested scalable and replicable solutions for emission and noise monitoring

Who can apply / participate

  • Research organisations
  • Universities
  • Industry partners
  • SMEs
  • Public bodies
  • Non-profit organisations
  • Consortium composition and size must comply with Horizon Europe rules
  • Eligible countries as per Horizon Europe Annex B
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible under this destination
  • Participants must comply with Horizon Europe eligibility criteria
  • Use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data required if satellite data used
  • Specific consortium size and composition requirements
  • Exact eligible countries list must be verified in Annex B

Must check before shortlisting

  • Eligibility of participant countries and entities
  • Capacity to access and measure emissions at airports
  • Ability to handle interdisciplinary environmental and health data
  • Compliance with EU funding and consortium rules

Money

Total indicative budget of approximately €7 million for 2 expected grants in 2027. Funding rate and lump sum conditions apply as per Horizon Europe rules.

  • Total budget for 2027 — 7000000EUR
    Indicative budget for 2 grants, each with a max contribution of €3.5 million

Application notes

  • Single-stage submission model with proposal page limits and layout as per Horizon Europe General Annexes.
  • Proposal must comply with admissibility conditions in Annex A and E
  • Eligible countries as per Annex B
  • Financial and operational capacity requirements in Annex C
  • Evaluation criteria and process in Annex D and F
  • Legal and financial set-up as per Annex G
  • Prepare proposal using specific application form in Submission System
  • Submit by deadline 14 April 2027
  • Follow evaluation and award procedures described in Horizon Europe documents
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible under this destination
  • Use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data mandatory if satellite data used
  • Check specific consortium and eligibility rules before applying

Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 22 Jun 2026, 15:38 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.

Related calls

These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.

Official source text

Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.

Topic description

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Assessment of the impact of airport operations on air quality and water bodies (including biodiversity) through air quality measurements and monitoring at different spots in and around the airports as well as through in vitro testing and/or remote sensing for water quality in airports close to water bodies Contributing to the delivery of better emission factors for emissions inventories and projections (including EMEP), especially for species and fuel mixtures for which little knowledge exists today in order to support local, regional, national and international emissions reduction plans (e.g. Noise Plans, Air Quality Roadmaps, Air Quality Plans, national Air Pollution Control Programmes, as mentioned in EU acquis) by providing real-world emission information and measuring the actual impact of control measures and strategies. Recommendations for improved measurement certification and testing to better cover real world situations. Develop a methodology to assess the health impact (both the nature, seriousness and number of people at risk) of the measured pollutants and noise in airports or at the nearby urban environment and apply it to the test sites. Scope: Aviation emissions not only have an impact on climate change and on GHG emissions but also on-air quality as it is recognized that airport-related sources of emissions release pollutants that can contribute to the degradation of air quality of their nearby communities. As such, air quality and noise issues in the vicinity of airports need to be investigated, quantified and addressed. Airports operations can generate water pollution due to their extensive handling of jet fuel and de-icing chemicals, which, if not contained, can contaminate nearby water bodies. Similarly, attention must be given to other possible airport-related environmental impacts associated with noise, water quality, and local ecology in the vicinity of airports. In order to address these issues, the following R&I actions should be undertaken: Comprehensive real time and real-world measurements of pollutant (exhaust and non-exhaust, including resuspension of dust) and noise emissions. The sources of emissions should be differentiated, and the pollutants identified. Operations should include ground operations, landing and take-off (including emissions from tyres and brakes) and assessing exhaust emission during cruising, including impact of changes in flight altitude on engine performance parameters (stationary engine tests). The calibration of the measurement systems and the reproducibility of the results should be demonstrated. Pilot testing in 2 different airports (possibility as well for testing on other complex transport nodes) for proof of concept with the aim of increasing scalability and replicability for other similar environments. Proposals are expected to select specific airports that are in vicinity of urban/rural communities and close to water streams/bodies, to examine and quantify the effect of airport emissions on air quality, noise and water bodies. Investigation of the adverse health and environmental effects (including biodiversity) of particle emissions, NOx, and non-regulated emissions (e.g. black carbon, tyre and brake particles, secondary organic aerosols, etc.) generated from aircraft and airport operations. The analysis should be supported by gender disaggregated data collection and intersectional analysis. Estimates of the impact of APUs (Auxiliary Power Unit) or GPUs (Ground Power Units) to stationary aircrafts’ emissions (GHG, air pollutants and noise) compared to conventional operation. Proposals should consider the results from previously EU funded projects such as AVIATOR , nPETS , TUBE , ANIMA , NEEDED or any other similar projects. null Activities are expected to achieve TRL 5-6 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

Destination

This Destination addresses activities that improve the climate and environmental footprint, as well as competitiveness, of different transport modes. The areas of rail and air traffic management will be addressed through dedicated Institutional European Partnerships and are therefore not included in this document. This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘ Green transition ’, ‘ Digital transition ’ and ‘ A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe ’. In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Achieving sustainable and competitive transport modes’ . The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are: Zero-emission road transport Accelerated uptake of a zero-tailpipe emission ecosystem, with interoperable technological solutions developed at system level (vehicles, infrastructure, user and energy grid) that support the global competitiveness of the EU transport and mobility system. Zero-tailpipe emission mobility solutions developed that are affordable, efficient, user-friendly, inclusive, safe and circular with concepts and technologies that are easy to deploy, considering needs, behaviours and socio-economic conditions of all end-users. Clean mobility solutions for a climate neutral and environmentally friendly and zero pollution mobility with a higher level of circularity; Increased responsiveness of zero tailpipe emission vehicles and systems to diverse societal interests and concerns. Aviation Enable breakthrough technologies and innovations that will contribute to the design (addressing also eco-design and circularity principles), manufacturing, maintenance and operations of new generation aircrafts, also powered by renewable energy and sustainable aviation fuels, for a competitive and clean EU aviation ecosystem (including airports). Derisk and accelerate the introduction of new digital technologies (with emphasis on AI) at all levels in the industrial aviation ecosystem, while addressing all safety-related issues in collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Waterborne transport Higher autonomy range in electric and hybrid vessels. Uptake of renewable and low carbon fuels and improved knowledge on the suitability of innovative renewable and low carbon fuels and other energy carriers for waterborne transport. Support the objectives of the European Port Strategy and Waterborne Industrial Strategy, contributing the role of ports as energy hubs, improving efficiency and safety through digitalization, improving the resilience and security of the transport network, as well as increasing the competitiveness of the industrial and technology EU capabilities. Significant reduction of emissions from large vessels due to the merging of energy efficiency and renewable and low carbon fuels. Sustainability of waterborne transport by design, considering air and water pollution, circularity and life-cycle assessments in shipbuilding. Improved safety of seafarers, port workers and the environment. Transport-related environment and health The better monitoring of the environmental performance and enforcement of emissions regulation and biodiversity protection in order to reduce the overall environmental impact of transport (e.g.: as regards biodiversity, noise, pollution and waste) on human health and ecosystems. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Conditions and documents

General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].

described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions

Not applicable.

Support information

Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Raw budget overview
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