MAR2PROTECT, in collaboration with Centro Interdisciplinar De Investigacao Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR) and CMIA de Viana do Castelo, is thrilled to announce the successful launch of the second meeting of its LivingLab initiative at the Lima River estuary. The event took place on April 16, 2024, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.
The workshop witnessed the enthusiastic participation of stakeholders from diverse sectors, including the public sector, academia, industry, and civil society. Employing a co-creative methodology, attendees engaged in fruitful discussions, identifying optimal strategies for local societal involvement, highlighting potential challenges within the case study, and fostering community awareness to prevent water contamination. Their invaluable feedback not only underscored the effectiveness of ongoing efforts but also illuminated the path forward for the LivingLab.
This LivingLab represents the inaugural venture of its kind in Portugal, marking a significant milestone in MAR2PROTECT’s broader mission. As part of a larger network spanning seven demo-sites across Africa and Europe, including South Africa, Tunisia, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and now two locations in Portugal, this LivingLab embodies meticulous site selection based on past successes, climatic conditions, water sources, pollution types, Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes, and socio-political context.
The implementation of this LivingLab (and all other MAR2PROTECT LivingLabs) is supported by the methodology and detailed guidance provided by our partners from IHE Delft Institute for Water Education.
MAR2PROTECT seeks to save the world’s groundwater from contamination through an innovative and holistic approach. This research project brings together two main strategies, the M-AI-R tool and LivingLabs, to create new approaches for safeguarding groundwater as it becomes more vulnerable in the face of climate change.
The project kicked off in December 2022 and will run for four years. It is funded by the Horizon Europe programme with a total cost of €4.143.681,25. MAR2PROTECT will usher in a new generation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) that engages stakeholders and enhances both groundwater quality and quantity.
