Societal risks

Societal risks

Growing geopolitical tension, harmful narratives, climate-related disruptions and rapid technological change all increase vulnerabilities for society at large and critical infrastructure in particular, increasing the need for civilian protection, preparedness and resilience. Europe is the fastest warming continent, resulting in more frequent and serious climate-related extreme events. Continued technological development and digitalization, including extended use of AI, create new and unforeseen vulnerabilities and new opportunities for destabilizing forces, as well as new challenges, needs and opportunities for security practitioners.

The disruptive forces of climate and digital risk interact with each other, creating cascading and compounding risks and effects. Research integrating interdisciplinary, systemic perspectives is central to capturing the relevant societal risks and ensuring the resilience of critical infrastructure. Such research helps develop the evidence base needed to ensure robust, trusted institutions and safe, sustainable and resilient operating conditions, both essential pillars for society.

Activities within scope of the project

Given this backdrop, the 2026 call will focus on both climate and digital risks to critical infrastructure, as defined by the EU’s Critical Entities Resilience Directive. Projects are expected to address at least one of the following:

  • Identification of climate-related physical vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and their societal impacts

How do extreme weather events physically damage or degrade infrastructure systems?

Maturing innovative analytical and methodological perspectives that can contribute to identification of climate-related physical vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and their societal impacts. Proposals are expected to study how extreme weather events (e.g., heatwaves, storms, flooding) physically damage or degrade infrastructure systems such as data centres, energy grids, transportation and communications systems, while also considering social systems associated with these infrastructures.

  • Cyber vulnerabilities and digital risk amplification

How do geopolitical tensions and climate related disruptions increase exposure to cyberattacks?

Cyber vulnerabilities and digital risk amplification, i.e., examining how geopolitical tensions and climate related disruptions increase exposure to cyberattacks, including ransomware and AI enhanced phishing, targeting critical systems such as energy networks and communication infrastructures. Proposals are expected to treat the combination of those disruptions while also considering their societal dimensions.

  • Holistic and integrated risk modelling

How can holistic risk assessment for climate and cyber threats inform resilient design of cyber-physical systems?

Holistic risk assessment for climate and cyber threats, i.e., creating integrated risk modelling approaches that combine physical climate hazards (acute and chronic) with digital threats, including the impacts of use of AI, to evaluate systemic vulnerabilities and inform resilient design of cyber‑physical systems. Projects are expected to mature an integrated interdisciplinary analytical perspective, and/or describe a methodology that will enable the identification of cascading and concomitant digital and climate risks. It is expected that the project addresses, physical climate risks, digital risks and their societal dimensions, such as lack of access to food and energy, in an integrated and systemic manner.

  • Societal resilience

How can institutions, communities, and regulatory frameworks enhance resilience?

Societal resilience and governance for critical infrastructure protection, i.e., exploring how institutions, communities, and regulatory frameworks can enhance resilience, including improved crisis response, public trust and long-term strategies for infrastructure provision in a changing climate and geopolitical reality.

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 1-3 by the end of the project. Successful project proposals are expected to develop novel analytical and methodological perspectives across different sectors of critical infrastructure and takes an interdisciplinary approach incorporating social sciences and humanities with engineering and computational approaches.

Activities outside the scope of this call for proposals:

  • Applied product development, commercialization, or market deployment
  • Domain-specific applications without fundamental research contributions
  • Data collection, labelling, or dataset creation as the primary result
  • Incremental improvements to existing methods without paradigm shifts
  • Purely empirical testing and validation without theoretical foundations

Expected outcome and impact

The successful proposals will contribute to:

  • The establishment of new theoretical frameworks and validated conceptual models that advance scientific understanding of compound climate and digital risks to critical infrastructure, including conceptual frameworks and early-stage analytical or computational models describing cascading, concomitant and systemic failure mechanisms and their societal implications.
  • Novel integrated foundational methodologies and proof-of-concept demonstrations of risk assessment that combine physical climate hazards, cyber and digital risks (including AI-related vulnerabilities), and social dimensions into coherent interdisciplinary approaches, providing a basis for future standards, tools and applied research.
  • Evidence to inform future governance and regulation by generating structured insights on vulnerabilities, (international) interdependencies, and resilience trade-offs, supporting the long-term design of institutional, regulatory and governance frameworks for critical infrastructure in the Nordics in a changing climate and geopolitical context.

For the inaugural 2026 call for proposals, we welcome accredited universities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden to apply as host institutions. This initial geographic anchoring provides a focused starting point for the research funding to increase impact and supports operational learning in the first funding cycle. This anchoring is an operational choice for 2026, not a long‑term geographic definition. The Foundation’s long-term ambition is global, and the geographic scope of future calls is expected to be reviewed and may evolve over time as part of the Board’s regular oversight, learning, and strategic development of the programme.  

Who can apply

The formal applicant must be an accredited university in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The principal investigator must have completed a PhD and have a formal affiliation to the host institution. [1]

Anyone can start the application process but to submit, a letter of commitment from the host institution must be attached.

Other recognized research institutes and organizations in the Nordics may participate as collaboration partners in projects but cannot act as the host institution in the 2026 call or receive funding.

What we fund

  • Basic research aligned with the purpose of the thematic calls. By basic research, we mean ‘experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view’ (taken from Frascati Manual 2015 (EN)).
  • A minimum of NOK 5,000,000 and a maximum of NOK 12,000,000. Ten per cent of the awarded amount will be withheld until the final project report has been approved.
  • Projects with a duration of up to 36 months. Projects need to be initiated within 6 months of granting funding.
  • Projects with their main scientific focus in the Nordic region, where at least 50% of the project’s activities by budget must be carried out in Nordic countries.
  • Peer-reviewed publications arising from the grant, and the data and analysis code underpinning these publications must be made openly accessible in accordance with the Det Norke Veritas Foundation’s open research principles.
  • IP generated under a Det Norke Veritas Foundation grant is owned by the host institution(s) and/or the researchers’ employer, not by the Det Norke Veritas Foundation. 
Full details on terms and conditions will be available shortly in the Grant Agreement template.
 

What we do not fund

  • Reimbursement of indirect/overhead costs, such as administration, building space and utility costs.
  • Partial funding of larger projects where the requested amount constitutes less than one third of the total project budget. For example, if applying for NOK 5,000,000, the total project budget (including the requested amount) must not exceed NOK 15,000,000.
  • Overlaps in scope or costs with other funding sources. The same activities or costs cannot be funded by more than one funding source. If overlap occurs, the grant recipient must decide which funding source will support the relevant project components and ensure that budgets and scopes are clearly separated. Failure to resolve overlaps may result in withdrawal or adjustment of funding.

How to apply

Anyone can start the application process.

The application must be completed in its entirety using the application form in the funding portal when open at the end of May 2026.

The application consists of an application form accompanied by a budget, where a preview of the application form and budget template will be available here shortly.

Evaluation of applications

Following submission, applications undergo review in three stages:

1. Eligibility screening by the secretariat

2. Scientific review by the panels of experts

3. Strategic selection by the Research Funding Committee


Eligibility screening by the secretariat

An initial screening by the Det Norske Veritas Foundation Research Funding Secretariat to ensure eligibility and compliance with the call requirements.

Scientific review by expert panels

Applications that pass the screening are assessed by panels of independent external experts, who evaluate each application independently of each other according to the following three criteria:

Excellence

• The clarity, relevance and ambition of the scientific objectives and research questions

• The degree to which the proposed research is original and advances knowledge beyond the current state of the art

• The soundness, credibility and robustness of the scientific approach and methodology

• The extent to which the proposed work is well-founded in relevant theory, concepts and prior research

Impact

• The potential of the project’s results to generate effects within research, society or policy, as specified by the call objectives

• The credibility and realism of the expected outcomes and their contribution to stated goals

• The quality and appropriateness of plans for dissemination, communication and use of results

• The added value of the project compared to existing research, initiatives or funding instruments

Implementation

• The coherence, structure and feasibility of the work plan, including tasks, milestones and deliverables

• The appropriateness of project organisation, including roles, responsibilities and competence of the project team or leadership

• The realism and justification of the project timeline, budget and allocation of resources

• The identification of key risks and the adequacy of proposed mitigation measures

All criteria are weighted equally and scored on a scale from 0 to 5, where 5 is the highest score. Applications are ranked and shortlisted based on the experts’ evaluation.

Strategic selection by the Research Funding Committee

Finally, the shortlisted projects are considered by the Foundation’s Research Funding Committee (RFC) for strategic alignment with the Foundation’s mission and approved program mandate. At this point, all proposals are assumed to meet the required scientific excellence threshold based on expert review.

The RFC members will evaluate applications independently of each other according to the following two criteria, again scored from 0 to 5:

The Det Norske Veritas Foundation’s priorities

• A clear rationale for how the proposed research contributes to the Det Norske Veritas Foundation’s purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment 
• The extent to which the proposal advances basic scientific research within the call’s defined priority areas

Strategic fit to the funding programme portfolio

• Responsible and proportionate use of the available grant envelope and opportunity cost
• Integrity, ethical and reputational robustness of the projects granted

The aggregated expert scores form the basis for a preliminary ranking of proposals. This ranking serves as the starting point for the RFC’s final deliberations. In the final decision meeting, the RFC’s task is to select the set of projects that together constitute a coherent, high quality and balanced portfolio within the scope of the call and the available budget. This includes ensuring diversity across research approaches, topics and disciplines, and precluding unnecessary concentration or duplication.

The RFC may, in justified cases, prioritize a scientifically fundable proposal that is ranked slightly lower over a higher ranked proposal, where this is necessary to achieve an overall stronger and more balanced portfolio. Such decisions are taken within the published criteria and documented.

Further information on the review and evaluation process will be provided in the Review and decision process document here shortly.

Deadlines and decisions

End March 2026: Call for proposals published
End May 2026: Application portal opens
5 July 2026 midnight CET: Application deadline
End October 2026: Public announcement of funding decisions

Generative AI policy

Applicants may use generative AI tools when preparing proposals but remain fully responsible for the content, including accuracy, originality and compliance with legal and research integrity standards. Any use of generative AI must be transparent and must not compromise confidentiality, privacy or intellectual property rights.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the European Commission’s Living guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research.

 

If you have questions related to the call, please contact: researchfunding@detnorskeveritas.com

 

[1] These universities are formally recognised and granted degree-awarding powers by the competent national education or accreditation authorities in their respective countries (e.g. ministries or national higher education authorities). All applicants must include a commitment letter confirming institutional support, signed by the Head of Faculty (or equivalent authority) at the host university.

FAQ

  • The Det Norske Veritas Foundation is a free-standing, autonomous and independent foundation whose purpose is to safeguard life, property and the environment. This purpose is achieved through its ownership of companies – of which the most important is the DNV group, which is 100% owned by the foundation and the newly established funding for basic scientific research.

     

  • For the first year of the initiative, the Foundation has chosen to focus on accredited Nordic universities to ensure a clear, manageable, and high-quality starting point. These universities are formally recognized by national education authorities and granted degree-awarding powers, providing a consistent and trusted quality framework across countries. This approach allows the Foundation to establish robust processes before considering a broader institutional scope.
  • This initial geographic anchoring provides a focused starting point for the research funding to increase impact and supports operational learning in the first funding cycle. This anchoring is an operational choice for 2026, not a long-term geographic definition. The Foundation’s long-term ambition is global, and the geographic scope of future calls is expected to be reviewed and may evolve over time as part of the Board’s regular oversight, learning, and strategic development of the programme.
  • The funding is designed to support excellent basic scientific research carried out at Nordic universities, but collaboration and co‑funding are not requirements. Projects may be fully funded by the funding initiative. Applicants may include co‑funding from other sources where relevant, but the presence or absence of co‑funding will not determine eligibility. Applications are evaluated on their own merits according to published evaluation criteria, regardless of co-funding or whether the research is conducted by a single institution or involves multiple universities.
  • One researcher initiates the application in the portal and may involve other researchers as collaborators. The accredited Nordic university acts as the formal applicant and host institution.
  • The Board of Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas has established the Research Funding Committee (RFC) to help ensure that the Foundation’s funding of basic scientific research is carried out in a structured, transparent and well‑governed way. The RFC supports the Board by assessing applications and preparing recommendations within the frameworks the Board has approved.
     
    The Board sets the overall direction for the research funding programme. This includes defining the themes for funding, the criteria used to assess applications and the annual budget. All decisions made by the RFC are taken within these Board‑approved parameters, and the Board retains full oversight of the programme.
     
    The RFC may include external experts to secure strong scientific insight and breadth of perspective. Their involvement does not change that the RFC and ultimately the Foundation Board remains fully responsible for the programme and can provide guidance or make changes whenever needed. 
     
    Through this model, the Foundation combines high scientific quality with clear governance: expert input where it matters, and firm Board ownership to ensure that the programmes are aligned with the Foundations’ purpose, priorities and integrity. 
Autonomous

Autonomous systems call

Basic research to understand risks and uncertainties to ensure that autonomous systems can operate safely, reliably and ethically.

Autonomous

Critical raw materials call

Basic research on strategic raw materials, related to discovery, extraction and processing, as well as the development of new alternatives and circular solutions.

Societal Risk

Societal risks call

Basic research on how climate hazards and growing digital dependence increase climate risk for critical infrastructure, and what this means for its reliability, availability, safety, and security.