CLEAR-WATER
Horizon Europe – Research and Innovation Action (RIA)
Call: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-04
Grant Agreement No.: 101292089
Duration: September 2026 – August 2030
Coordinator: MATIS OHF, Iceland
Consortium: 19 partners
EU Contribution: €5,998,047.96
🔎About the project
CLEAR-WATER – Harmonising Aquatic Litter Monitoring and Assessment Across EU Waters aims todevelop harmonised, cost-effective strategies for monitoring and assessing aquatic litter across Europe’s fresh and marine waters, so that litter data can be compared and used reliably to support assessment and policy.
The four-year Horizon Europe project brings together 19 partners across Europe in order to support the transition from fragmented efforts to coordinated, science-based actions that will deliver onZeroPollution Action Plan, the MSFD, and the WFD, whilecontributing to the European Green Deal objective of healthier oceans, seas, and waters.By bringing together science, governance, andsociety, the efforts will focus on accelerating the Europe’s path to zero pollution by 2050.
The project builds on existing monitoring programmes and available data, establishing a common baseline while providing pathways for progressively improving monitoring methods and data comparability.
🔬Objectives
CLEAR-WATER will pursue six interconnected objectives:
• Develop and validate harmonised monitoring methodologies for macro-, micro- and nanoplastic litter across freshwater and marine environments.
• Generate and consolidate spatially and temporally resolved aquatic litter data through targeted campaigns and modelling.
• Advance the assessment of impacts and risks by linking litter data with ecological and health risk assessment.
• Support policy coherence and cross-sector alignment across EU, regional and global policies.
• Engage stakeholders and build capacity for uptake and long-term sustainability.
CLEAR-WATER is structured around nine interconnected Work Packages, covering project management, monitoring data, methodology and technology development, case studies, governance, stakeholder engagement, communication and policy uptake.
🎯HCMR’s Role in CLEAR-WATER
The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) is a key partner in CLEAR-WATER and leads two Work Packages, contributing its expertise in aquatic environmental monitoring, marine research, governance and collaborative research across science and policy actors.
Members: Dr. Christina Zeri, Dr. Eleni Kamperi, Dr. Catherine Tsangaris, Ms. Athina Kokkali
Project website: https://clear-water-project.eu/