Ongoing projects
TERRASAFE: TErrestrial Resilience and RestorAtion Strategies for (semi) Arid and Fragile Ecosystems through a multiactor approach
Duration:60 months
Project name: TErrestrial Resilience and RestorAtion Strategies for (semi) Arid and Fragile Ecosystems through a multiactor approach
Project acronym: TERRASAFE
Call: HORIZON-MISS-2023-SOIL-01
Topic: HORIZON-MISS-2023-SOIL-01-04
Type of action: HORIZON Innovation Actions
Granting authority: European Research Executive Agency
Topic of the initiative: TERRASAFE is a pioneering initiative envisaging to empower local communities in southern Europe and northern Africa to successfully face the escalating challenges of desertification through the adoption of nature-based, social and technological innovations. TERRASAFE’s vision will be operationalized in 5 pilot areas that share a high vulnerability to desertification but, simultaneously, represent the 4 main types of desertification (vegetation decline, soil degradation, water scarcity, and depopulation) and strongly contrast in socio–cultural-ecological circumstances. This vision is supported by a transdisciplinary consortium, ranging from universities to SMEs commercially exploiting innovations.
TERRASAFE’s vision is implemented through a multi-actor approach covering all WPs, in particular by setting up 5 partnerships in the 5 pilot areas. In a co-creation process, these partnerships will then (i) define their visions on building desertification resilience and plan their ensuing TERRASAFE work; (ii) map and analyze past and ongoing desertification, identifying hotspots; (iii) evaluate and demonstrate innovations at these hotspots, comparing them with current and traditional/organic practices; (iv) elaborate policy recommendation for the wider uptake of the TERRASAFE certified innovations, both within and beyond the pilot areas, taking into account lessons learnt from past and ongoing policies against desertification; (v) share their TERRASAFE’s experience with the other areas, other desertificationprone communities and the general public. The consortium will support the partnerships by providing not only harmonized frameworks for each activity but also advice on adapting these frameworks to their specific needs. Finally, the SMEs will provide a wide offer of innovations that they will tailor towards the respective desertification hotspots, in close collaboration with the partnerships.
The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.
Project Coordinator: UAveiro
Project Partners: Wageningen University & Research, NIBIO (Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi), Università degli Studi della Basilicata – Unibas, The Cyprus Institute(CYI), Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), AKTI Project and Research Centre, Institut des Régions Arides (IRA), Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare în Silvicultură “Marin Drăcea”, The Mediterranean Sustainable Development Foundation (MEDES), Isotech Ltd, IO-dit AB- Agrodit, AgroBiogel GmbH, Ibero Massa Florestal, S.A., EDAFOTEC Soluciones Basadas en la Naturaleza Sl, University of York, University of Gloucestershire
Contact info
The Cyprus Institute: Dr. Christos Zoumides c.zoumides@cyi.ac.cy
AKTI Project and Research Center: Ms. Dimitra Petsa akti@akti.org.cy
ISOTECH LTD: Dr. Michalis Loizidis info@isotech.com.cy
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RESisles: Resilient Euro-Mediterranean Islands: Democratic Participation for Informed and Responsible Decisions on Climate and the Environment
Duration: 18 months
Project Title: RESisles: Resilient Euro-Mediterranean Islands: Democratic Participation for Informed and Responsible Decisions on Climate and the Environment
Project number: 101146782
Project name: Resilient Euro-Mediterranean Islands: Democratic Participation for Informed and Responsible Decisions on Climate and the Environment
Project acronym: RESIsles
Granting authority: European Education and Culture Executive Agency
Topic of the initiative: Euro-Mediterranean islands face economic and social challenges that are related to limited land resources, limited diversification in economic activities, and reduced inhabitant mobility. They are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. The European Green Deal and the Blue Economy strategy aim at building a more resilient future for Europe, so it is imperative that actions and policies implemented are inclusive, considering the needs of all European territories and people, especially the most vulnerable ones. The RESIsles project will promote and facilitate civic participation on the islands of Cyprus, Malta and Crete, three of the most populated and vulnerable Mediterranean islands, in democratic processes concerning climate change and the environment. The project will directly involve a diverse range of citizens from different backgrounds and genders, with a focus the most vulnerable groups to climate change: youth, women, and those in rural or remote areas. Through interactive presentations at schools,
“train-the-trainer” educator workshops, video competitions and award ceremonies, co-creation cafés, participation in youth festivals and organization or rural festivals, and knowledge transfer events, the project will directly engage over 1650 people. The project’s awareness raising, communication and dissemination activities on traditional and online media will reach an additional 6 million people.
The RESIsles comprehensive approach will create a greater understanding of the EU policy-making process and provide citizens with the tools to practically engage in European, national and local democratic participation processes concerning climate change and the environment. In so doing, the RESIsles project will promote democratic participation through debating the future of Europe (Priority 1) and will engage citizens and communities in discussions and action related to our climate and environment (Priority 2).
Project Partners: AKTI Project and Research Center, HCMR Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Nature Trust – FEE Malta
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café
AdvocaCY’s first co-creation café, took place on 24th September 2023, at 10:00, at Kormakitis Centre for Cooperation – KCC, with the participation of stakeholders from smaller and larger CSOs, NGOs and informal groups, from across the island.
During the co-creation café participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices for capacity building on sustainability and climate change related issues, and to identify collaboration opportunities.
Η ΑΚΤΗ μιλάει για την πλαστική ρύπανση στις Ειδήσεις των 20:00, στο ΡΙΚ
Η ομάδα της ΑΚΤΗς φιλοξενήθηκε στο κεντρικό δελτίο ειδήσεων του ΡΙΚ, όπου μιλήσαμε σχετικά με την έρευνα που διεξάγουμε για την καταγραφή της ρύπανσης στις ακτές τις Κύπρου, την πλαστική ρύπανση και τα μικροπλαστικά, και τα αλιευτικά δίκτυα που αναπτύχθηκαν με βάση υλικά βιολογικής προέλευσης, μέσα στα πλαίσια του Ευρωπαικού προγράμματος Ορίζοντας 2020, SEALIVE, τα οποία υποβάλλονται σε δοκιμές στις θάλασσες της Κύπρου από μια ομάδα 10 εθελοντών Κυπρίων ψαράδων.
7th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management
On 26th August one of our team members, Christina Baldwin, presented our Astrotourism project, with the title: “Beyond Stargazing: The Sustainable Astrotourism Framework” at the 7th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in Copenhagen, Denmark. The presentation covered the project itself as well as the sustainability aspects that AKTI developed for the implementation of the Astrotourism activities.
The conference was a great success and Christina won best presentation of her session.
Thank you to the conference organisers for having us!
SeaTecHub: Croatia-Cyprus Excellence Hub on Eco-Innovative Technologies for Healthy and Productive Seas
The main goal of the SeaTecHub project is to strengthen Croatian and Cyprus place-based innovation ecosystems and improve access to excellence for R&I actors by cross-border collaboration on a common strategy and alongside value adding chains within the area of eco-innovative technologies for healthy and productive seas, focusing on the sectors of Aquaculture and fisheries, Smart ports, Maritime security and protection, Research and Education, and Maritime technologies, which are aligned with Croatian and Cypriot Smart Specialization Strategies and have been identified as emerging and established sectors in the EU Blue Economy Report 2021.
The objectives of the SeaTecHub project are
1)to facilitate long-term cross border and inter-sectoral collaboration to advance eco-innovative technologies for healthy and productive seas,
2) to perform joint research work to close knowledge gaps, consolidate and reinforce quadruple-helix linkages, and validate strategy and action and investment plans (AIPs),
3) to implement a set of mutual learning and skills development measures, and
4) to raise visibility of Croatian-Cyprus innovation ecosystems by implementing strategic measures in the form of organizing networking, knowledge and experience transfer events.
The SeaTecHub consortium covers the quadruple helix of Croatian and Cyprus ecosystems, including 2 research organizations, 4 public authorities, 5 business actors, 3 NGOs and 49 institutions who expressed their strong willingness to participate and collaborate for the successful implementation of the project activities.
SeaTecHub is a Horizon Europe project implemented through funding by the European Commission under the Horizon Widera Programme Framework.