This database gathers European R&I projects on NBS from several major European research and innovation or implementation programmes: BiodivERsA, Horizon 2020, Seventh framework programme (FP7), Interreg and LIFE (EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action) over the years 2011–2021. Their project databases were screened using two successive keyword searches (‘biodiversity’ and then ‘services and approaches’) on the title and abstract of each project, and results were screened manually to retain NBS-relevant projects using criteria derived from the European Commission’s definition of NBS (i.e., biodiversity benefits, social and economic benefits and/or Increased resilience, and response to a societal challenge).
Beginning with more than 60.000 projects, the resulting database of NBS projects is composed of 300 projects with 100 projects from H2020 and FP7, 35 NBS projects from BiodivERsA, 86 NBS projects from Interreg and 79 NBS projects from LIFE.
The database was subsequently used to perform a mapping of EU R&I projects on NBS, in terms of types of NBS, societal challenges addressed, environments, approaches studied. This mapping allowed setting the scene of what R&I has been supported so far at European level on NBS. View the key results from analysing this database of EU R&I projects on NBS.
The main objectives of the project are to:
* Recover and restore a network of wetlands in the coastal area of Praia da Vitória;
* Provide a larger and more suitable sheltered area for migratory birds in the likely scenario of increased frequency of storms at these…
The LIFE VIMINE project aimed to demonstrate an integrated approach to the conservation of interior Venice lagoon salt marshes based on prevention through routine, temporally-continuous and spatially-diffuse actions of monitoring and maintenance, as opposed to one-off protection…
The general objective of the LIFE ADAPTA BLUES project is to demonstrate the potential of conserving and restoring European estuaries following an ecosystem-based approach to climate change adaptation, decreasing risks to coastal areas while contributing to climate change…
The general objective of the LIFE Ad'Apto project is to demonstrate that ecosystems and natural coastal habitats should be included in flexible coastal management plans in order to improve climate change adaptation in coastal areas. More specifically, the project aims to:…
The NordSalt project will assess the extent of and plant community biodiversity in Nordic Salt and coastal marshes and evaluate how these ecosystems provide climate and coastal protection related benefits to society (ecosystem services, ES or Nature’s Contributions to People,…
The main objective of LIFE MIDMACC is to promote climate change adaptation in marginal mid-mountain areas of Spain, while improving socioeconomic development.The project has the following specific objectives:* develop and implement landscape adaptation in marginal mid-mountain…
Mountains have always had a symbolic and metaphorical meaning, evoking an experience of spiritual elevation. In the latest years, they grow as a tourism destination because of their landscape which provides the opportunities to escape from the increasingly urbanized environments…
Healthy peatlands help regulate global climate by actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere, but damaged peatlands increase emissions. CANAPE combines North Sea Region (NSR) local authorities, NGOs, academic bodies to address challenges manage sustainable, integrated peat…
The DESIRE project improves the management of drained peatlands around the Neman river to reduce their nutrient and greenhouse gas emissions. The Neman river basin serves as a model area for EU-Russia/non-EU cooperation. DESIRE rehydrates selected drained peatlands and…
The main objective of LIFE COTEAUX GASCONS is to restore the ecological continuity of open agro-pastoral ecosystems in the Gascon hills area. This includes five Natura 2000 sites (in full or in part). The area covered by these ecosystems is estimated at more than 30 000 ha, of…
The LIFE GRASSSERVICE project restored 122 ha of grasslands and established 14 agreements with grassland owners for their long-term management, to maintain grassland biodiversity and to potentially provide biomass resources for biofuel or other alternative uses. The project…
The LIFE+GP project aims to restore the eco-hydrological situation in Groote Peel National Park. It is aiming to improve the quality of the regenerative raised bogs and the species that depend on them ? from an unfavourable to a favourable conservation status. As a result, the…
AddMire LIFE will tackle the desiccation of degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration and active raised bogs in Engbertsdijksvenen, within the context of a major raised bog restoration effort. It aims to improve the hydrology of the project area to favour…
The Hydrology LIFE project aims to:
* Improve the quality of peatland habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive, by restoring peatlands and small water (headwater) systems in 103 Natura 2000 network sites;
* Improve water quality and flood control by…
The LIFE MarshMeadows aims to establish and demonstrate the intrinsic link between fully-functioning natural ecosystems and economic benefits for local communities. Two major complexes of wetlands will be restored by different means (1 460 hectares in total) in three Natura 2000…
Through the Irish Climate Action Plan 2019 (CAP19), the countrys Department of Communication, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) has outlined 183 actions targeted at tackling climate change. The goal is to achieve net zero carbon energy systems for Irish society and in the…
Northern hemisphere peatland soils contain ~33% of global soil carbon, while accounting for only 3-5% of total land area. Many of these peatlands are degraded and emit rather than store carbon. Global annual GHG emissions from drained organic soils are ~1,600 MT CO2 eq., twice…
This project is first example of a cross-border cooperation in wetland restoration and integrated management of wetlands in this area that adress common nature protection challenges by developing and demonstrating innovative solutions for improving wetland conservation status…
The main common cross-border problems and challenges to be jointly addressed within the project is degradation of wetland ecosystems caused by varying human activities. Limited capacity to deal with the consequences of ecosystem degradation and low awareness about the value of…
Essential ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea, e.g. biodiversity, fisheries and tourism, are threatened by eutrophication caused by excess loads of nutrients to the sea. Discharge from rivers is one of the main pathways how nutrients get to the sea. One idea how to…
Nature-based solutions (NbS) aim to help societies to address a variety of environmental, social and economic challenges in sustainable ways. They are actions which are inspired by and supported by nature. Some involve using and enhancing existing natural solutions to challenges…
NetworkNature will establish a European and global platform allowing all interested stakeholders to access and contribute cutting-edge, innovative knowledge and expertise on nature-based solutions (NbS). Our consortium represents all relevant stakeholder groups and has access to…
The Estonian Presidency Conference “Nature-based Solutions: From Innovation to Common-use” (NBS2017) will involve original knowledge on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) policy, multi-functionality and effectiveness and management options. Presented research and applied results will…
VINOVERT is an innovative and structuring project for the vine / wine sector in the SUDOE region. Ensuring the long-term competitiveness of companies is the main objective. For this it is necessary to take the turn of the new demand for wines considered more clean on the…
MIXED is a multi-actor project to drive the development of European Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems (MiFAS) that optimize efficiency and resource use, reduce GHG emissions, and show greater resilience to climate change by considering agronomic, technical, environmental,…
The current situation in Europe clearly indicates that major changes are needed to develop sustainable agricultural and food systems. In this respect, agroecology is increasingly seen as an important pathway as it designs, develops and promotes the transition towards sustainable…
Organic/low input cereal food systems in the EU are emerging in answer to the sustainability crisis of the conventional agri-food sector. “Alternative” systems are based on local, decentralized approaches to production and processing, regard to quality and health, and short…
Increasing problems related to intensive agriculture dominant in the cross-border territory are pointed out: soil erosion, groundwater pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc. It then results in an undeniable need to evolve towards new, more rational and sustainable practices. At…
The HORIZON 2020 societal challenges highlight the need to innovate on agricultural practices that increase agroecosystem resilience and foster efficient use of available water and nutrients. This is particularly relevant for baby food production systems since there are…
Farming practices in sub-Saharan Africa are often linked with high rates of soil erosion, decreasing soil quality, and increasing use of agrochemicals that have negative impacts on humans and the environment. Concomitantly, land use change threatens regional biodiversity and…
THE MICS project brings together a transdisciplinary team to address a scientific and policy priority area where citizen science has the potential to promote a paradigm shift. Nature-based solutions (NBSs) are actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or…
Farmlands are exposed to dangerous xenobiotics because of the regular use of distinct pesticides. Even if present in small concentrations, they are dangerous as all have the tendency of progressive accumulation in the food chain.
Two approaches are frequently used…
In ADRION area the intensive management of viticulture can lead to negative effects on soil, water and air quality, biodiversity and ecosystem services and cause significant changes of fragile habitats and traditional landscapes. ECOVINEGOALS tackles the challenge of viticulture…
The ecological and social unsustainability of our food systems is widely acknowledged by scientists, citizens and governments around the world. To address the challenge of sustainable transitions, agroecology is also increasingly recognised as a promising model and the…
IWMPRAISE aims to support the implementation of Integrated Weed Management (IWM). IWMPRAISE will demonstrate that adoption of IWM supports more sustainable cropping systems both agronomically and environmentally, which are resilient to external impacts without jeopardising…
In agroecosystems, multiple ecosystem services (ES) such as soil fertility, pest regulation, biodiversity conservation, and crop production need to be balanced to achieve sustainable development goals and Aichi biodiversity targets. The main global drivers of biodiversity and ES…
'Among the ecosystem services provided by European agriculture, the conservation of biodiversity and agricultural landscapes are predominant. High Nature Value (HNV) farmland located in less favoured areas play a central role in the conservation of habitats and species.…
High nature value (HNV) farmland designates “those areas in Europe where agriculture is a major land use and where that agriculture supports, or is associated with, either a high species and habitat diversity or the presence of species of European conservation concern, or both…
The main objective of the LIFE PALU QdP project is to conserve characteristic habitats and species of the 'Palù del Quartier del Piave' Natura 2000 network site in the Veneto region of Italy, by reintroducing sustainable agroforestry and traditional meadow management…
Animal communities provide important ecosystem services (ES). Nowhere is their service more important than in fruit production, where certain species are required for pollination, and others function as biocontrol agents against various pest species attacking flowers, leaves or…
Soil biota diversity is ensuring primary production in terrestrial ecosystems and agricultural productivity. Water and nutrient cycling, soil formation and aggregation, decomposition and carbon sequestration as well as control of pest organisms are important functions in soil…
with the long-term view of fostering synergies between crop production, biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services of local, regional and global relevance, the main objective of soildiveragro is the adoption of new management practices and cropping systems that enhance…
The agricultural sector, the basis for the agro-food sector in NWE, is today heavily dependent on external inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and creates a number of negative effects on the quality of natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity). Functional Agrobiodiversity…
The main objective of the LIFE VinEcoS project is to optimise ecosystem services in vineyards by testing climate-adapted methods in viniculture. In the first part of the project, relevant methods will be implemented on demonstration areas of the Kloster Pforta vineyard in the…
The impact of intense annual crop production on natural resources under the threat of climate change has resulted in a global magnification of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. A concept for mitigating such consequences is the development of perennial grain…
The LIFE TERRACESCAPE project aims to demonstrate, on the Aegean island of Andros, the use of drystone terraces as green infrastructures resilient to climate change impacts. The project will promote climatic adaptation by mobilising scientific knowledge, traditional farming and…
There is often a misfit between established governance approaches, including the institutional structures created for governance implementation, and the spatial and temporal scales that are relevant for effective ecosystem service (ES) provision and biodiversity protection in…
The project FARM LIFE aims to contribute to climate change adaptation and to a lesser extent to climate change mitigation and climate governance as well as agricultural knowledge. It will demonstrate innovative adaption technologies, approaches and methods for land use in…
The LIFE Biodiv’ paysanne project aims to preserve biodiversity and associated ecosystem services in the Occitanie region by: (i) reducing the threats caused by land use changes on natural and semi-natural habitats and on farmland, over a large network of 277 sites covering 25…
Pressures on forest ecosystems are very likely to increase as a consequence of socioeconomic and demographic trends. A growing population will demand more products (e.g., wood) to be extracted from forest ecosystems. At the same time, these harvesting activities and their…
Objectives of the current and future European CAP are to enhance the climate change resilience of European agriculture, increase climate change adaptation and protect biodiversity. Climate change Resilience of Agriculture System (CRAS) project aims, through an econometric and…
The promotion of climate change adaptation and the protection of the environment are central challenges of the CE region. With its manifold ecosystem services, CE forests are not only valuable reserves of biodiversity and pristine landscapes for recreation, but also provide…
Intact forests harbor large amounts of carbon and unique biodiversity, suggesting that protecting forests may benefit climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation alike. Yet, forests also provide other essential services, from timber to energy to recreation. Balancing…
'The Mediterranean region will become one of the most vulnerable areas in Europe to global change. While in European Mediterranean countries the combination of climate change and land abandonment is promoting new unmanaged forest cover, increasing fire and pest risks, in…
The partner areas affected by the programme are highly exposed to the risk of fires and have a lot of tourists and plant fuel. The general abandonment of farming and animal husbandry has made the situation much worse; the forest area increased considerably and so did combustible…
The main objective of the BIORGEST project is to improve the biodiversity of Mediterranean forests. This will be achieved by integrating specific measures and innovative practices into forest planning and management instruments, and through new financing and compensation…
Agricultural landscapes occupy 40% of the available land area, and as such play an important role in conserving biodiversity. Farmland biodiversity makes an important contribution to agricultural production by providing ecosystem services such as crop pollination and biological…
Biodiversity can replace external inputs to agricultural crops by delivering ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control, even in intensively farmed landscapes. The organisms driving these services depend on the presence of non-crop habitats, or “green infrastructure…
The main objective of the project was to develop knowledge and implement a new strategy for conservation of the natural environment and the sustainable and multifunctional development of viticulture based on the expansion of organic farming, particularly in areas with high…