With growing awareness, our society – scientific researchers, non-governmental organizations, policy makers, and citizens – recognizes anthropogenic noise as an emerging pollutant and threat for subaquatic environments. Underwater acoustic pollution impacts on the health of marine animal populations and biological productivity. The joint call "Underwater Noise in the Marine Environment" provides an opportunity to address a systemic approach to ocean challenges, support policy and governance, and support experimental research activities on the emerging issue of the acoustic pollution of oceans and seas.
The overall aim of the call is to decrease the existing high levels of uncertainty and to promote specific lines of research that will contribute to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive at regional sub-basin scale, and, therewith, contributing to reach the Good Environmental Status of the European seas and oceans.
The call will address two main challenges in the field through activities that may focus on:
- Theme 1: Effects of anthropogenic noise pollution on marine ecosystems
- Theme 2: Innovative seismic sources as an option for quieter and effective alternatives to conventional marine geophysical exploration
A total amount of up to € 8.2 million has been blocked by the funding partners from Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania and Spain. The participation of Germany and Romania in this call is subject to national approval. Each research partner will be funded by its national funding partner. In addition, applicants from countries not funding this call are encouraged to participate with their own resources.
The submission tool will open at the beginning of January 2022 at https://noiseinthesea-submission.mur.gov.it.The deadline for submitting proposals is February 28, 2022, 15:00 CET. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Upon approval of funding, project consortia should start no later than end of the year 2022.
The call is endorsed as a contribution to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which means that selected projects will be endorsed as Decade Actions.
