Human activity is degrading the vital ecosystems that enable our oceans to function. To solve this problem, the European Union has presented two projects whose mission is to restore marine ecosystems, eliminate pollution and make the marine economy neutral and circular. These projects are Mission Atlantic and AFRIMED.

Researchers from around the world are working to undo the damage that human activity has caused to our seas, but to do so they must understand the magnitude of the problem. In this context, Mission Atlantic aims to understand the complexity of the system and resolve the unknowns surrounding it.

The size of the Atlantic Ocean and the immense diversity it harbours means that there are many enigmas about it. Understanding the complexity and magnitude of the problem, Mission Atlantic’s main objective is to help countries, industries and individuals to treat the ocean in a sustainable way.

To do so, this project maps, models and assesses the ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean, thus identifying the main existing threats. In addition, it aims at applying systematic approaches to marine ecosystems, as well as system feedback and complexity. 

On the other hand, the AFRIMED project focuses on identifying areas for kelp forest restoration, testing technologies to restore these sites, and finally, elaborating a step-by-step guide on how to rebuild these systems.

There are different complications in kelp forest restoration. The most important one is that anthropogenic pressure needs to stop in order to start the scientific or ecological process. In addition, it is important to note that transplanting kelp can strip other vulnerable habitats, and not all kelp survives in another location, so it is essential to find a good site for restoration.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the project, it is required r not only the participation of algae experts, but also experts in ecosystem and environmental conditions, as well as a technician for the laboratory. Also, restoration involves socio-economic components, so stakeholder involvement is essential.

La Unión Europea ha seleccionado una iniciativa presentada por el Cabildo de Gran Canaria para convertir la isla en una de las 118 regiones de 18 Estados miembros que integrarán el programa de investigación e innovación de la UE para impulsar la adaptación al cambio climático y la resiliencia climática para 2030.

El presidente del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, aseguró que “estamos muy satisfechos con poder entrar en este grupo de 118 territorios que estarán a la vanguardia de la adaptación al cambio climático. Además, las misiones de la UE recibirán financiación en el marco del programa de investigación de la UE Horizon Europe para lograr objetivos concretos a través de proyectos de investigación y medidas políticas”. 

Morales ha insistido en que “somos conscientes de que debemos priorizar las políticas de mitigación, de reducción de emisiones a través de las renovables y la eficiencia energética. Pero también debemos asumir que la temperatura va a subir en los próximos años y, por lo tanto, debemos estar preparados. El poder entrar en esta misión de la UE significa también dar un impulso a nuestra propia Estrategia Insular de Adaptación al Cambio Climático. Desde el Cabildo seguimos actuando de manera proactiva para convertir a Gran Canaria en un laboratorio en la lucha contra el calentamiento global”.

El coordinador técnico de Desarrollo Económico, Soberanía Energética, Clima y Conocimiento del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Raúl García Brink, ha señalado que «estar seleccionado en esta Misión de Adaptación al Cambio Climático es un gran reconocimiento del trabajo y los logros de Gran Canaria a través del Cabildo. Lo que es más importante, la misión ofrece un gran potencial para Gran Canaria buscando sinergias entre nuestras instituciones de investigación, centros tecnológicos, nuestras empresas y la sociedad”. 

La Misión de Adaptación al Cambio Climático tiene como objetivo acelerar la transformación de 118 territorios de la UE para convertirse en ‘resilientes al clima’ ayudándolos a encontrar inversiones y soluciones innovadoras para gestionar los posibles riesgos climáticos. “Se trata de movilizar toda nuestra inteligencia colectiva para buscar soluciones frente al mayor desafío de la humanidad”, concluye García Brink.

Sobre la Misión de Adaptación al Cambio Climático

La Misión Adaptación recibirá 370 millones de euros de financiación de Horizon Europe para el periodo 2021-23. Las acciones de investigación e innovación abordarán la reconstrucción de áreas afectadas por fenómenos meteorológicos extremos, la agricultura vertical o la creación de una ciudad «perfectamente adaptada» lista para resistir una tormenta o una ola de calor. También existe la posibilidad de crear iniciativas conjuntas con otras misiones y programas de la UE. La Misión también brinda oportunidades de creación de redes, intercambio de mejores prácticas entre regiones y autoridades locales, y apoyo para involucrar a los ciudadanos.

El 14 de marzo de 2022, la Comisión lanzó una invitación a las regiones de la UE y las autoridades locales para unirse a la Misión. A partir de ahora, los nuevos signatarios se beneficiarán de la Plataforma de Implementación de la Misión, que estará operativa a principios de 2023. Juntos desarrollarán vías hacia la resiliencia climática mientras tienen acceso a datos climáticos y metodologías para las evaluaciones de riesgos climáticos. Además, recibirán orientación personalizada sobre medidas de adaptación eficaces.

La Misión para la Adaptación al Cambio Climático comenzó en septiembre de 2021 con la adopción de una comunicación sobre las misiones de la UE, seguida de la aprobación de los planes de implementación individuales de las misiones. Hay otras cuatro misiones de la UE que cubren desafíos globales en las áreas de ciudades inteligentes y climáticamente neutrales, restaurando nuestros océanos y aguas, y suelos saludables. El 15 de diciembre de 2021 se publicó un programa de trabajo específico para las misiones de Horizon Europe que apoyan las prioridades de la Comisión; como el Pacto Verde Europeo, Europa preparada para la era digital, Vencer al cáncer y Nueva Bauhaus europea.

¿Qué regiones participarán en representación de España?

Los 118 participantes provienen de 18 Estados miembros, con seis partes más provenientes de países asociados o potencialmente asociados con Horizonte Europa, el programa de investigación e innovación de la Unión Europea.

Estas regiones y autoridades locales han firmado la Carta de la Misión en el primer Foro de la Misión de la UE sobre Adaptación al Cambio Climático del Comité de las Regiones. Otras 17 empresas privadas, centros de servicios, redes de investigación y grupos de acción local activos en la mejora de la resiliencia climática respaldarán la carta y se convertirán en amigos de la misión.

En España participan en esta iniciativa las comunidades de Aragón, Islas Baleares, País Vasco, Castilla-La Mancha, Cataluña, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Gran Canaria, La Rioja, Navarra, Asturias y Murcia, así como los consistorios de Soutomaior, Vitoria-Gasteiz y Málaga y la provincia de Granada.

Fuente: https://www.energiagrancanaria.com/2022/06/08/europa-selecciona-a-gran-canaria-para-su-mision-de-adaptacion-al-cambio-climatico/

Fuente: https://www.construible.es/2022/06/09/mision-ue-adaptacion-cambio-climatico-incluye-16-regiones-autoridades-locales-espanolas#:~:text=La%20Misi%C3%B3n%20’Adaptaci%C3%B3n%20al%20cambio,la%20resiliencia%20clim%C3%A1tica%20para%202030.

FORWARD final conference – June 2, 2022

Registration form: here

Hybrid event:
Onsite: KBR venue Kuntsberg 28, B-1000 – Panorama room  – Mont des Arts 28, Brussels
Online: a link to access the conference will be provided upon registration

Agenda: here

FORWARD is the first European project gathering the 9 European Outermost Regions: Azores, Canary Islands, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island, Saint-Martin. The Forward project aims at improving the excellence of the outermost regions in research and innovation.

The FORWARD Consortium is pleased to invite you to the final hybrid (online and face-to-face) conference of the FORWARD project on June 2, 2022 (starting hour: 10h30 CEST). 

This virtual and physical event follows the first Island Biology conference held in La Réunion in July 2019 and the second  conference organized in conjunction with the annual meeting of LABEX-CEBA (Laboratory of Excellence, Center for the Study of Biodiversity in Amazonia). Open to the outside public, it aims to present the actions and final results of the project, which is coming to an end.

The conference is also an official Partner Event of the EU Green Week. 

The expected highlights are the following:
– Presentation of the representatives of the OR monitoring committee and the project coordinator (Canary Islands government)
– Results of the diagnosis of the OR Research and Innovation ecosystems
– Results of the thematic groups set up for the common action plans of the ORs
– Round table with OR experts on the green transition
– Post-Forward perspectives and OR-izon network

The full programme of the conference can be consulted here.

Consulta Europa subscribed the EU Rural Pact  which was launched by the European Commission in December 2021. The pact aims at mobilising rural stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of experiences and boosting rural revitalisation. Our team will share the experience about working with rural areas and, in particular, the pilot project on #RuralHubs for rural entrepreneurship. 

If you are also interested in how to revitalise rural areas and have experience to share, you still have time until June to join the Pact through this open invitation and to register to the Rural Pact high-level conference that will take place in Brussels.

About the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas and the Rural Pact

On 30 June 2021, the European Commission adopted its communication “A long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas – Towards stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040”. The communication is people-centred and forms part of the Commission’s work on democracy and demography.

The Communication is accompanied by an Action Plan, which outlines the main instruments for investment in rural areas, and puts forward actions that bring all EU policies on-board.

In addition, the Communication introduces a key new initiative, the Rural Pact, which aims to “mobilise public authorities and stakeholders to act on the needs and aspirations of rural residents”. These aspirations are described through ten shared goals, which resulted from extensive participatory consultations and stakeholder engagement processes. The Rural pact should be developed with all levels of governance and stakeholders supporting the shared goals of the vision.

We invite you to fill-in this form to express your support – in your personal capacity or in the name of your organisation, see personal details section – for the shared goals and to join the Rural Pact community and take part in the discussion on its development and implementation.

Support the shared goals of the vision for the EU’s rural areas

The 10 shared goals outlined in the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas summarise the common aspirations of rural communities and stakeholders for rural areas in 2040 to become:

1. Attractive spaces, developed in harmonious territorial development, unlocking their specific potential, making them places of opportunity and providing local solutions to help tackle the local effects of global challenges.
2. Engaged in multi-level and place-based governance, developing integrated strategies using collaborative and participatory approaches, benefiting from tailor-made policy mixes and interdependencies between urban and rural areas.
3. Providers of food security, economic opportunities, goods and services for wider society, such as biobased materials and energy but also local, community-based high-quality products, renewable energy, retaining a fair share of the value generated.
4. Dynamic communities focusing on well-being, including livelihoods, fairness, prosperity and quality of life, where all people live and work well together, with adequate capacity for mutual support.
5. Inclusive communities of inter-generational solidarity, fairness and renewal, open to newcomers and fostering equal opportunities for all.
6. Flourishing sources of nature, enhanced by and contributing to the objectives of the Green Deal, including climate neutrality, as well as sustainable management of natural resources.
7. Fully benefiting from digital innovation with equal access to emerging technologies, widespread digital literacy and opportunities to acquire more advanced skills.
8. Entrepreneurial, innovative and skilled people, co-creating technological, ecological and social progress.
9. Lively places equipped with efficient, accessible and affordable public and private services, including cross-border services, providing tailored solutions (such as transport, education, training, health and care, including long-term care, social life and retail business).
10. Places of diversity, making the most of their unique assets, talents and potential.

Los 313 ganadores de la última ronda de los Consolidator Grants del Consejo Europeo de Investigación, respaldados con unos 631 millones de euros, abordarán importantes cuestiones en todas las disciplinas científicas.

La financiación apoyará a investigadores en la mitad de sus carreras y los ayudará a consolidar sus equipos y a realizar una labor de investigación pionera en los temas y con los métodos que elijan. Se calcula que esta nueva ronda de subvenciones, que forma parte del programa Horizon Europe, creará unos 1.900 puestos de trabajo para investigadores postdoctorales, estudiantes de doctorado, entre otros, en 189 entidades beneficiarias.

Mariya Gabriel, comisaria europea de Innovación, Investigación, Cultura, Educación y Juventud, ha declarado: “Los resultados de esta ronda de subvenciones son prueba de la impresionante calidad de la investigación europea. Solamente es posible encontrar nuevas soluciones en los sectores energéticos, sanitarios y de las tecnologías digitales si podemos atraer y retener el talento científico.”

Maria Leptin, presidenta del Consejo Europeo de Investigación, comentó: “Incluso en momentos de crisis, conflictos y sufrimiento, es nuestro deber mantener e impulsar la ciencia y dar a nuestras mentes más brillantes vía libre para explorar sus ideas. Hoy no sabemos cómo sus ideas revolucionarán el mañana, pero sabemos que abrirán nuevos horizontes, satisfarán nuestra curiosidad y nos ayudarán a preparar para retos futuros impredecibles.”

Proyectos de investigación en 24 países

Los futuros beneficiarios realizarán sus proyectos en universidades y centros de investigación en 24 países de la UE y en países asociados. Científicos y académicos de todo el mundo pueden postularse a las convocatorias del Consejo Europeo de Investigación. Los ganadores provienen de 42 nacionalidades. En esta última convocatoria, el 12 % de los 2.652 solicitantes que presentaron propuestas recibirán financiación.

Project duration: 6 to 12 months

Maximum funding per project €50,000

Submission deadline on the 30th April 2022 at 17pm CEST

Budget foreseen for Open Call 2: minimum 350,000 Euros, maximum 500,000 Euros Expected

Innovation Action intends to build, pilot and deploy a large-scale, EU-standardised open platform. The integration of a broad range of technological, organisational, clinical, educational and societal solutions seeks to facilitate long-term healthy and active ageing and the maintenance of a high-quality standard of life. Mediated by technology, in-home and local community environments interact with health and care (H&C) networks contributing to the reduction of H&C costs, hospitalisations and institutional care.

For more details refer to: https://shapes2020.eu/open-calls/call-2/

More information: https://first.art-er.it/_aster_/viewNews/54481/smart-homes-secondo-bando-del-progetto-shapes

On the next 8th March 2022 an online event will be held to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, the European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola and four other prominent women in Research and Innovation, Culture and Education hosts an online roundtable discussion to listen, learn from their experiences and inspire younger generations to pursue their dreams.

The roundtable discussion will evaluate the impact of the #EUWomen4Future campaign on the professional and personal lives of the women featured in it, including a former recipient of the EU Prize for Innovative Women.

The event will be organised in collaboration with the European Parliament and held in Strasbourg on 8 March 2022, from 11:00-12:00.

Here’s the link to the live event, click to see more details!

• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will host this Thursday, February 10th, the international conference on gender equality in research and innovation carried out within the framework of the Athena project co-financed by the European Commission.

• The event will count with the participation of Sylvia Jaén, Vicecounselor of Equality and Diversity of the Government of the Canary Islands; Sara Ramírez, Counselor of Equality, Diversity and Transparency of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and María del Carmen Reyes, Councilor Delegate of the Area of ​​Equality of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The conference can also be accessed electronically.

Friday, February 4th, 2022.- Gender equality to unlock the potential of research. With this motto, the European project ATHENA is presented, an initiative that seeks the implementation of gender equality plans to promote research with a gender perspective in entities dedicated to this field and in organizations that finance it in Europe. This project is financed within the framework of the H2020 program (currently Horizon Europe), although it is coordinated by a Canarian SME. “We are proud to host this first international conference in the Canary Islands, which precisely seeks to contribute to gender equality in research and innovation through this project that will end in 2025”, underlines Michelle Perello, CEO of Consulta Europa and coordinator of ATHENA. 

In addition to several members of the project consortium, Sylvia Jaén, Vicecounselor of Equality and Diversity of the Government of the Canary Islands, will be at the opening ceremony. She claims that it is not only necessary to guarantee the presence of women in Science, but also the living in equality in the space of Science, “it is necessary to establish a new paradigm that allows collecting data that do not only measure equality in the workplace but that women, and people in general, are able to decide free from sexist stereotypes.”

Likewise, on behalf of the Government of the Canary Islands, the director of the Canary Islands Institute for Equality, Mónica Fumero, will also participate in the event, with the presentation “Women with science in the Canary Islands”. In spanish, it plays with the words “con” (with), “ciencia” (science) and “conciencia” (awareness) to talk about Women “con-ciencia”. “We need to promote an egalitarian and realistic scientific culture among Canarian students, bringing closer to students the legacy and the role of women who have developed and are currently developing their professional field within the scientific field, showing those who were left out of universal scientific history”, says Fumero. On behalf of the regional government, the Canarian Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society of the Government of the Canary Islands also participates as a partner in the project.

The opening ceremony will also feature the participation of Sara Ramírez, Counselor for Equality, Diversity and Transparency of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, who believes that gender equality should be promoted from society itself, without forgetting strategic fields such as research. “Many times it is the society itself that reaches where the administrations do not reach, we must seek among all people a more inclusive and egalitarian island”, emphasizes the ATHENA coordinator.

On the other hand, from the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria they have also shown their support for the initiative for gender equality, recognizing the value of showing the fact that women have had and currently have an active role in the field of research. “We know that science is a space that has traditionally resisted us and, in this sense, from the different areas of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria we want to collaborate with this purpose”, affirms María del Carmen Reyes Marrero, councilor delegate of the Equality Area of ​​the municipal council.

At a regional level, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is also represented in the project consortium through its Equality Unit, directed by Carolina Mesa, who will speak precisely about «The path towards gender equality at the ULPGC and the renewal process of the Equality Plan in the Canarian university«. In fact, during the event, women researchers will take part to tell their story, such as Beatriz González López-Válcarcel, a professor at the ULPGC who will take part to present her experience as a researcher. Likewise, the project has also promoted an online platform to make women researchers visible.

The ATHENA project is committed to fighting for gender equality, mitigating barriers to recruitment, retention and career progression for female researchers, as well as addressing gender imbalances in decision-making processes. ATHENA offers and implements gender equality plans in 8 Research Organizations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organizations (RPOs). The objective of this European initiative promoted from the Canary Islands seeks to guarantee that all people, regardless of their sex, have the opportunity to express their potential in research, thus forging an innovative, competitive and prosperous European society. 

A LOOK ON HOW TO REDUCE THE GENDER GAP IN RESEARCH

Among the interventions that will take place this Thursday from 09:30 onwards at the Elder Museum, topics related to the “Challenges of gender equality in research and innovation from Europe to the Azores” will be discussed. This presentation will be given by Paulo Fontes, visiting associate professor and researcher at the Center for Humanistic Studies of the University of the Azores. Furthermore, Laura Grunberg and Irina Costache (University of Bucharest) will give examples of good practices on transformative measures of gender equality plans, and there will be debates on factors that influence the participation of girls in STEM education, moderated by Valeria Payán, president of the Iguálate Association.

Another of the entities that will participate will be the Opciónate Association, whose coordinator, Ana Lydia Fernández-Layos, will illustrate how research and digital tools promote gender equality. As part of the conference, it is planned to make the stories of women researchers visible. In this sense, Beatriz González, PhD in Economics and professor of Quantitative Methods in Economics and Management at the ULPGC will speak about women and scientific economics, while Joanna Rudawska, professor at the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce and member of the consortium of ATHENA will stimulate debates around women and R&D&i, highlighting examples of startups, spinoffs and spinouts. Finally, a social dialogue focused on how to close the gender gap will be promoted. The conference can be participated in telematically.

Do you need help to fund your cooperation? Keep reading!

Interreg Central Europe has officially unveiled their first call for proposals with an indicative budget of 72 million EUR from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Organisations are being invited from across central Europe to apply for this funding, which will support transnational cooperation to solve common challenges of these regions and cities. Applications can be submitted until 23 February 2022.  If you are new to Interreg and their funding, check this “beginner’s guide” to learn more about who we are and what we offer. It will help you to find out whether our funding fits your organisation’s needs and ideas. For all others, this program representatives have put together a step-by-step guide to writing a good proposal. Enjoy the journey to your future project!