VELUX Foundation - Environment and Sustainability in Danish Sea Areas

Enriched Nordic · Found: 2026-03-10 14:05

The VELUX Foundation environmental programme promotes a healthy marine environment. Funds projects developing knowledge and solutions for maritime challenges including restoration of coastal areas and combating marine pollution. Excludes commercial aquaculture and fishing.

Source: https://veluxfonden.dk/en/group/grantarea/environment-and-sustainability-danish-sea-areas

Funding Details

Funder

VELUX FONDEN

Funding Goal

Research and knowledge building projects that develop solutions to critical challenges facing marine ecosystems in the North Sea region. Specific focus: understanding impacts from shipping on cumulative pressure in the North Sea, management and mitigation of shipping impacts, governance and decision support tools for spatial and marine spatial planning, tradeoffs and potential mitigation measures, and incentives for mitigating cumulative maritime impacts. Aims to reduce shipping's ecological footprint while enabling the green transition, integrating biodiversity and climate concerns into shipping decarbonization.

Funding Amount

DKK 3 million to DKK 10 million per project (approx. EUR 400,000 to EUR 1,340,000). Total call budget DKK 29 million. (400.000 € – 1.340.000 €)

Deadline

2026-09-15 (Fixed)

How to Apply

Full proposals submitted through VELUX FONDEN's application portal at https://veluxfonden.dk/en/application-create/11827. Open from 1 May 2026. Deadline 15 September 2026, 14:00 CET. All applicants notified in December 2026. Initial secretariat review followed by external scientific panel assessment.

Target Region

North Sea region including Western Baltic Sea and full Danish EEZ

Contact

Adam Billing, Senior Adviser: abi@veluxfonden.dk, +45 24 34 24 67; Ane-Marie Lovendahl Eskildsen, Senior Adviser: ale@veluxfonden.dk, +45 24 95 16 31; Henrik Tronier, Deputy Director: htr@veluxfonden.dk, +45 29 41 79 07; info@veluxfonden.dk, +45 39 57 09 57

Official Page

https://veluxfonden.dk/en/group/channel/call-proposals-north-sea-region-lighthouse-sustainable-shipping

Last Checked

2026-05-07 07:42

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Lead applicant: university or academic institution (other organisations eligible if partnered with academic institution)
• Interdisciplinary team strongly preferred

Project Scope

• Project must address North Sea region impacts from shipping on cumulative marine pressure
• Must address at least some of the five key themes listed in the call

Required Documents

• Submit via VELUX FONDEN application portal by 15 September 2026, 14:00 CET
• Full proposal with interdisciplinary justification, budget, stakeholder engagement plan

Constraints

• Project duration: 3-5 years
• Grant size: DKK 3-10 million per project; larger budgets must cover more themes

Summary

VELUX FONDEN's 'Call for Proposals: The North Sea region as a lighthouse for sustainable shipping' is a targeted research funding call under the foundation's 'Combating marine pollution' programme. It seeks to strengthen ocean health and climate resilience by supporting research and knowledge building that develops solutions to shipping's impacts on marine ecosystems in the North Sea. Thematic priorities include: understanding shipping impacts and their contribution to cumulative pressure in the North Sea now and in future scenarios; management and mitigation of cumulative maritime impacts through routing changes, vessel speeds, fuel transitions, port development, and long-term ecosystem effects; governance and decision support tools for spatial and marine spatial planning; tradeoffs and mitigation measures; and incentive mechanisms for reducing cumulative ecosystem impacts. The call specifically aims to integrate biodiversity and cumulative ecosystem risks into shipping decarbonization pathways, which are currently absent from mainstream climate frameworks. Eligible activities are research and knowledge building projects addressing the thematic priorities. Proposals may address one or multiple themes; larger budgets must cover more themes. Stakeholder engagement, interdisciplinary approaches, and links to legal obligations of local, regional, or international authorities are evaluation criteria. In-kind contributions from industry and NGO partners are encouraged. Geographic scope is the North Sea and Western Baltic including the full Danish EEZ. The call recognises that shipping developments transcend national jurisdictions and sea basin borders, so proposals covering the broader North Sea region are encouraged. Lead applicants are primarily universities and academic institutions, though public authorities, research institutions, industry, and NGOs can lead if partnered with academic institutions and relevant to objectives. Interdisciplinary teams are preferred to reflect complexity of the subject. The total call budget is DKK 29 million (approx. EUR 3.9 million). Individual grants range from DKK 3 million to DKK 10 million (approximately EUR 400,000 to EUR 1,340,000). Projects must last 3 to 5 years. Submission deadline is 15 September 2026.

Historical Context

VELUX FONDEN has a broader 'An ocean in balance' environmental programme (2023-2030) covering three areas: marine restoration, combating marine pollution, and future climate solutions. This call falls under 'Combating marine pollution'. Project ideas for other marine pollution work are currently not being accepted (spring submission period just closed). VELUX FONDEN is a major Danish private foundation and is active in IOC-UNESCO's Ocean Decade and EU Mission Ocean partnerships.

Why it was added

Major Danish foundation funding marine environment restoration and coastal ecosystem research

Sources

• https://veluxfonden.dk/en/group/grantarea/environment-and-sustainability-danish-sea-areas
• https://veluxfonden.dk/en/group/grantsubarea/combating-marine-pollution
• https://veluxfonden.dk/en/group/channel/call-proposals-north-sea-region-lighthouse-sustainable-shipping

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