News | MAR2PROTECT

Living Lab Meeting at the Emilia-Romagna Region

by admin | Feb 17, 2025 | Demosite 4, events, News

The Emilia Romagna LivingLab of the MAR2PROTECT project hosted a special event at the University of Bologna on February 7, 2025. The meeting brought together 8 external stakeholders from diverse organizations, including water utilities, local governments, environmental protection agencies, universities, and civil society groups, along with 11 researchers from the University of Bologna and 2 representatives from HERA, a leading water utility in Northern Italy and a partner in the MAR2PROTECT project.

Throughout this interactive session, participants collaborated to co-design and plan 5 key activities aimed at engaging civil society in understanding and preventing water contamination. The session followed the method delivered by professor Uta Wehn from the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education.

The planned initiatives aim to empower local communities by enhancing their understanding of water contamination risks and providing them with the tools to take proactive action. This collaborative effort is a pivotal step toward fostering sustainable solutions for water protection.

We extend our sincere thanks to all attendees for their valuable insights and feedback!

Take a look at the photos taken during this meeting!

EU Commission Requests Collaboration for the Development of the European Water Resilience Strategy

by admin | Feb 11, 2025 | events, News

The European Commission has launched a call for evidence to gather input from stakeholders in desiging the European Water Resilience Strategy. This initiative, driven by the European Commission, aims to develop a comprehensive, multi-annual, cross-sectoral plan to make Europe more water-resilient. The strategy will ensure proper management of water sources, address water scarcity, strengthen the competitiveness and innovative potential of the water industry, and embrace a circular economy approach.

At MAR2PROTECT, we are committed to this strategy and its goal of ensuring the resilience of water and groundwater resources. We invite our stakeholders to actively participate and contribute their expertise to this essential initiative.

The call for evidence is available on the ‘Have Your Say’ portal in all 24 EU languages. The feedback period will close on 4th March 2025.

In addition to the call for evidence, the consultation process will include a stakeholder roundtable titled “Towards a Water Resilience Strategy for the European Union” which will take place on 6th March 2025 in Brussels. This event is part of the broader European Ocean Days and the Mission Ocean and Waters Forum & Related Events. Registration for the event is open until 10th February 2025.

Cape Flats Living Lab Hosts Its Second Event on Technology Demonstrations and Societal Engagement

by admin | Feb 5, 2025 | Demosite 5, events, News

On 28 January 2025, MAR2PROTECT hosted a successful Technology Demonstration and Societal Engagement Co-Design Event at the Cape Flats Aquifer Living Lab in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Held at Stellenbosch University and Uva Mira Wine Farm, the event gathered national, provincial and municipal goverment representatives connected to groundwater management and monitoring and key stakeholders from the water and agricultural sector to explore innovative groundwater management solutions.

The event featured demonstrations of the MAR2PROTECT technologies being developed by the Stellenbosch University Water Institute. Attendees also collaborated on co-designing societal engagement activities focused on groundwater protection, emphasizing the importance of involving local communities in the process.

This collaborative effort laid the foundation for future civil society engagement activities and showcased the potential of nature-based solutions in improving groundwater management. The event marked an important step forward in ensuring the long-term success of the Living Lab and its impact on sustainable water management in the region.

Take a look at the photos taken!

First Civil Society Engagement Activity “Saltmarsh as a laboratory” has been launched at the Lima Estuary Demosite

by admin | Feb 3, 2025 | Demosite 7, News

On 16 December 2024, MAR2PROTECT launched its first civil society engagement activity proposed by the Living Lab of the Lima river estuary demosite of the project. This event was organized by CIIMAR in collaboration with CMIA Viana do Castelo and the Santa Maria Maior Secondary School.

As part of the activity Saltmarsh as a laboratory, the 11th-grade class from Santa Maria Maior Secondary School participated in a field trip to the Lima estuary, located near the Urban Ecological Park. The objective of this excursion was to gain firsthand insight into the saltmarsh ecosystem and to understand the significant functions that these critical habitats serve, particularly in addressing water pollution and climate change challenges.

During the visit, students had a look at the site where the pilot revegetation study is being conducted as part of the Mar2Protect project. They also collected water samples to analyze some water physicochemical parameters at both low and high tide, allowing them to observe the natural variations within this highly dynamic environment.

With the support of CMIA, the students conducted a hands-on activity using a lab-scale model of a constructed wetland. This practical experience provided them with an opportunity to explore key concepts such as phytoremediation, as well as the use of natural and constructed wetlands as effective nature-based solutions.

Take a look at the photos taken!

MAR2PROTECT At “Water Knowledge Event”

by admin | Dec 16, 2024 | events, News

MAR2PROTECT Live at the WaterKnowledgeEvent in Brussels!

Our project coordinator and researcher at NOVA FCT Executive Education, Ana Belén Pereiro Estévez, participated in a panel discussion focused on policies. Joining with other project coordinators from PROMISCES, SCENARIOS and LIFE SOURCE the debate explored key insights on water management.

Together, Ana and WP7 Leader, Tamara Rodríguez from FEUGA, also took part in different expert sessions during the Water Knowledge event and attended the presentations from the Comission representatives as

Water outlooks from the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027 by Bertrand Vallet, DGRTD
How to write a win-win project proposal by Evdokia Achilleos, European Commission REA

A great opportunity to network with partners and colleagues!

MAR2PROTECT At “Suelos Vivos” for World Soil Day Celebration

by admin | Dec 10, 2024 | events, News

MAR2PROTECT was pleased to participate in “Suelos Vivos: European Innovation to Transform Galicia”. This regional event held in honour of the World Soil Day, was successfully organized by FEUGA on December 5th in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. With over 50 participants the event aimed at raising awareness about the importance of soil quality preservation and showcasing the latest innovative practices, with a special focus on their application in Galicia.

During the event, experts from Galicia’s three public universities presented their involvement in key European projects: AGROSUS, SoildiverAgro, MRV4SOC, FIREPOCTEP+, SUS-SOIL, AF4EU, DRYAD, MAR2PROTECT, and ALERT-PFAS. Innovative strategies and solutions to challenges such as carbon agriculture, biodiversity measurement, and the identification of contamination sources, with concrete results applicable to the local context, were discussed in two different roundtables.

Key Themes Discussed

MAR2PROTECT was pleased to participate in one of the event’s roundtables, where researchers from various projects gathered to share their expertise in soil sustainability. As a speaker at the “Nutrient Management and Carbon Agriculture: Innovations in Fertilizers and Organic Waste Utilization” roundtable, our project leader, Ana Pereiro, represented MAR2PROTECT by presenting our latest innovations and advancements in the Galician region. She also actively engaged in the following discussion, adding valuable insights to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable nutrient management.

During these pannels, the speakers covered topics such as the impact of wildfires on soil health, the importance of sustainable agricultural practices to promote biodiversity, and the need for resilient crops in the face of climate change. Technological solutions like artificial intelligence were also explored to address future challenges, alongside the crucial role of legislation and collaboration between administrations to implement these solutions.

Networking and Collaboration at the Soil Hub Fair
The day concluded with the Soil Hub Fair, an interactive initiative where participants had the opportunity to discover success stories, explore project ideas, and establish key connections in the sustainable soil management field. Posters, stands, flash presentations, and workshops were just some of the activities that made the fair a highlight of the event, fostering the exchange of ideas and the creation of new collaborations.

On this World Soil Day, we reaffirm our commitment to raise awareness and promote solutions for healthy and resilient soils. Take a look at the photos taken during the event!