Project hub

The EU-funded BIGALPS project has a mission to transform soil stabilisation by introducing cutting-edge biotechnology for soil treatment. This eco-friendly solution has the potential to address critical soil stability concerns associated with societal challenges like landslides, erosion and foundation soil stabilisation. Bio-cementation technology aims to supplant traditional cement-based soil improvement methods by offering a practical, well-invested and market-disrupting solution in the fields of geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering.

The production of annual crops plays a crucial role in global food systems. However, these crops can cause harm to agro-ecological processes each season, leading to issues such as soil erosion, nutrient loss, and greenhouse gas emissions from machinery and soil. Perennial grains, on the other hand, only need to be planted once and can be harvested for many years, offering significant potential to positively impact agriculture and rural communities and to enhance climate change adaptation. The ERC-funded PERENNIAL project will explore the feasibility of transitioning from annual to perennial grains. It will conduct an in-depth analysis of the current political economy of agriculture, propose sustainable and achievable alternatives to annual monocultures, and develop a well-structured transition strategy.

LAND4CLIMATE aims to increase the resilience of landscapes and urban settlements in the continental biogeographical area and beyond by nudging the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS), which are at large-scale still in its infancy. However, there are three reasons for the tardy uptake of NBS in practice: (1) NBS need more land than grey infrastructure; (2) approaches to NBS hitherto often focus on public land; (3) private land, however, bears huge potential for climate resilience, both as a supplier (in terms of ecosystem service provision) and a recipient of benefits of NBS (in terms of climate risk reduction). LAND4CLIMATE addresses these implementation gaps.

The project is expected to halt the decline and improve the population trend of 10 rare steppe bird species in southern Slovakia. Project aims to return the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) as a breeder to Slovakia and to foster the return of European Roller (Coracias garullus) and Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus). Other target species include Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), Garganey (Spatula querquedula), Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor), Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris), Scops Owl (Otus scops) and Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosseta); 9 SPAs are targeted.

Agriculture is a big source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. The EU is committed to methods that increase efficiency and resilience to climate change and reduce emissions. European Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems (MiFAS) optimise productivity and resource use. The EU-funded MIXED project will take a participatory and transdisciplinary approach to advance and apply efficient and resilient MiFAS. Specifically, this approach will engage organic and conventional networks of farmers, researchers and other stakeholders to ensure the highest levels of implementation of MiFAS in terms of climate change and ecosystems services. It will also address the potential effects on the environment and crop and livestock production as well as on animal welfare.