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martedì 19 novembre 2019

Approvati e al via nuovi progetti LIFE per l'ambiente: un quarto dei progetti vinti da italiani: ecco la lista. Su 11 Natura italiani, due "miei".

La Commissione Europea ha pubblicato ieri la lista dei progetti europei LIFE appena approvati, relativi al bando chiuso a gennaio 2019 (bando LIFE2018). Oltre 120 progetti, per circa 240 milioni di € di cofinanziamento europeo.
Nuovi LIFE approvati 2019  ecco la lista

L'Italia riceverà dunque fondi per ben 29 progetti, corrispondenti a circa 1/4 di quelli approvati e a 1/10 di quelli presentati come concept note, a livello europeo, caratterizzandosi ancora come una delle nazioni più attive nell'utilizzo di questo fondo: 11 progetti LIFE Natura, relativi alla tutela di specie e habitat minacciati (ho coordinato l'elaborazione di 2 di questi progetti);  8 LIFE Ambiente, per ridurre l'impatto delle attività umane, 4 Life sull'informazione e la governance ambientale,  1 progetto CLIMA sull'adattamento climatico, 3 sulla mitigazione del clima e 2 sulla governance in materia.

Ecco la lista dei progetti ancora non definitiva (fonte Easme):



 Nature (NAT)
Saving the critically endangered Sicilian fir (LIFE4FIR)
The Parco delle Madonie in northern Sicily hosts the world’s only natural population of the Sicilian fir (Abies nebrodensis). Classed as critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, the species’ relict population comprises just 30 adult trees and 165 saplings. These are threatened by extensive grazing, cross-breeding with non-native fir species, and the poor state of health of individual plants. The LIFE4FIR project team, led by the National Research Council of Italy, aims to strengthen the genetic diversity of this highly endangered fir. It will protect the existing trees and carry out reforestation work, as well as establishing a seed bank to safeguard the species’ future.

Supporting biodiversity in the Brenta river basin (LIFE Brenta 2030)
Biodiversity in the Natura 2000 site Medio Corso del Fiume Brenta, in the Veneto region of Italy, is adversely affected by a variety of man-made impacts. These include agricultural run-off and water contamination, alterations to rivers caused by gravel mining, extraction of freshwater for irrigation and drinking water, and the fragmentation of habitats. Coordinated by the public utility company ETRA, this LIFE project aims to create new wetland habitats, including humid meadows and alluvial forests, restore aquatic ecosystems, and protect several bird and amphibian species.

Tackling invasive species in the Tuscan Archipelago (LIFE LETSGO GIGLIO)
The biodiversity of Giglio island in the Tuscan Archipelago is threatened by several invasive alien species, such as the mouflon (Ovis aries), the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the yellow-bellied slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). These degrade the island’s grassland and forest habitats, in turn affecting protected bird species. LIFE LETSGO GIGLIO will tackle the invaders, eradicating the mouflon and slider turtle, and intensively managing the rabbit population. This should improve the overall ecosystem quality as well as the conservation status of protected habitats and species, in line with the EU Birds and Habitats directives, EU legislation on invasive alien species, and the EU biodiversity strategy.

New Europe-wide alpine wolf management practices (LIFE WOLFALPS EU)
Efforts to coordinate wolf management set up under a previous LIFE project have not yet led to an overall conservation approach for the wolf in the Alps, mainly because institutions remain fragmented. The alpine wolf population continues to suffer from poisoning, conflicts with livestock owners and hunters, and interbreeding with dogs. The LIFE WOLFALPS EU project team
will set up five international groups to coordinate technical, scientific and other conservation activities. It will also train 2 000 supervisors on wolf surveillance and explore ways to reduce conflict hotspots though preventative measures and education, working alongside hunters.

Eradicating rats and other invasives to protect seabirds (LIFE DIOMEDEE)
The objective of the project is to protect seabirds and habitats, listed in the EU Birds Directive and Habitats Directive from the threat of invasive non-native species, in Natura 2000 sites in the Gargano National Park, Italy. The project team will eradicate the black rat in the Diomedee Islands to improve the conservation status of shearwater species. The national park authority will also eradicate the invasive non-native blue crab that threatens aquatic habitats, eradicate the South African ragwort that threatens protected dry grassland habitats, and control the spread of Ailanthus altissima and other invasive plant species that threaten the park’s biodiversity.

Restoring dry grassland habitats to boost biodiversity (LIFE DRYLANDS)
The project aims to restore dry-acidic Continental open habitats in eight Nature 2000 sites of the western Po plain in Italy, including three habitat types listed in the EU Habitats Directive: inland dunes, European dry heaths and semi-natural dry grasslands. The project team, coordinated by staff at the University of Pavia, will restore characteristic features of these habitats, such as bare soil areas, and increase plant diversity through re-planting. The project team will also create ecological corridors to reduce habitat fragmentation and increase connectivity, and control the invasive woody plant species that cause biodiversity loss.

Promoting shark-friendly fishing gear (LIFE ELIFE)
Since the 1980s, cartilaginous fish, such as sharks, skates, rays, have increasingly been caught as accidental by-catch in the Mediterranean Sea, by commercial fisheries using bottom trawl nets and longlines. The LIFE ELIFE project team, led by Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohm, will protect endangered shark and ray species by promoting best practices in these fisheries operations, and by carrying out demonstration actions in Italian harbours. The project team aim at reducing the mortality of species, such as sandbar shark and basking shark, through the introduction of low-impact fishing gear, and will work with fishermen to facilitate its introduction.

Reducing human impacts on sea turtles (MEDTURTLES)
The project aims to improve the conservation status of the EU populations of two sea turtles, Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas, that are listed as conservation priority species in the EU Habitats Directive. The project team will reduce the impact of human activities, including commercial fishing, by modifying fishing gear and establishing voluntary best practices on fishing boats, in turtle foraging grounds in Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey and Albania, and on nesting beaches in Spain and Albania. This will help secure long-term protection of suitable nesting habitats and ensure that young turtles survive to maintain healthy populations. The project will
also establish a network of sea turtle research and conservation organisations, and raise citizen awareness about Mediterranean Sea turtle conservation.

Supporting the red kite in Italy and on Corsica (LIFE MILVUS)
The red kite (Milvus milvus) population is declining in its main nesting areas of Spain, France and Germany, although increasing in some other European countries. In Italy, it was once a common species but today the red kite’s distribution is highly fragmented. In the Aspromonte National Park in Calabria, no nesting pairs have been recorded, while in Corsica (France), the red kite is listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of breeding birds. The LIFE MILVUS project team, led by the national park authority, aims to reintroduce a self-sustaining red kite population into the Aspromonte National Park and promote long-term conservation of the species in Corsica.

Beneficial flooding in the Venetian lagoon (LIFE FORESTALL)
LIFE FORESTALL will protect and manage Natura 2000 sites in the Valle Averto Oasis in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy. The project team will restore existing patches, and create new areas, of the EU Habitats Directive ‘Calcareous fens’ and ‘Alluvial forests’ priority habitats. The non-profit organisation CORILA and other project partners will improve water level regulation and circulation, especially in flood areas, to favour the development of the target habitats. They will also reduce the occurrence of invasive plant species, particularly black locust and sea myrtle, and the Wels catfish that threatens the fish community of the Valle Averto Oasis. The project’s plan to install rafts should also increase the occurrence of breeding bird species.

Environment (ENV)
Genetic and biodiversity model to give foresters better sustainable management tools (LIFE SySTEMIC)
Healthy forests need to be genetically diverse so they can be resilient to environmental changes. But up to 60% of threatened forest habitats in the EU are under threat from fragmentation, unsustainable management, invasive species and more. These reduce biodiversity and the ability of Europe’s forests to adapt. Forestry researchers from the University of Florence, who coordinate LIFE SySTEMIC, will build a new genetic biodiversity and silvicultural model to help foresters manage forests more sustainably. The project team will put this into practice in three different EU countries.

Better air quality in large pig sheds for healthier animals and workers (LIFE-MEGA)
Intensive pig farming makes up the majority of European swine production, but it has a heavy impact in terms of water, soil and air pollution. Large pig sheds develop poor air quality, with especially high levels of ammonia, methane, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. This poor air quality harms the health of both animals and workers. Environmental scientists from the University of Milan, running LIFE-MEGA, will develop an online tool to monitor air pollutant concentrations in pig sheds and keep them below a threshold. They will also test two different cleaning prototypes, leading to reductions in ammonia and particulate matter by 70% and 80%, respectively.

Looking for reduction on tyre noise levels from electric vehicles (LIFE E-VIA)
Electric cars could bring many benefits compared to combustion-engine vehicles, including less noise. Noise pollution affects many Europeans. However, little work has been done on tyre noise from electric cars. In the municipality of Florence, which will run the LIFE E-VIA project, researchers will assess noise levels from different electric and hybrid vehicles using two special test road surfaces, including a surface designed to minimise noise. The project team will also evaluate the CO2 savings from vehicle tyres running on optimised, low-noise road surfaces.

Enhance, nurture and vitalise crops to increase yield and healthy plant growth (LIFE ENVISION)
To feed a rising world population, agriculture needs to become more productive. But it must do this in the context of the changing climate, the need to save water and minimise inorganic pesticide input. One answer could be biostimulants – formulas made from micronutrients such as organic acids or plant nutrients – to improve the efficiency of plant growth. The LIFE ENVISION team will test new biostimulants on cereals, sugar beet, corn, strawberries and tomatoes. It is expected this will lead to an increase in yields in the pilot areas of 15%, while water consumption will be reduced by 9% and fungicide use by 65%. The project will be led by SCL Italia, an agricultural chemicals and products company.

Mother and infant dyads: Lowering the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in milk for a healthy life (LIFE Milch)
Human exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), or chemicals that interfere with the hormone system, occurs from the moment of conception onwards. Unborn babies and infants could be especially vulnerable to the substances. Under LIFE Milch, researchers from the neuroscience unit at the University of Parma will improve knowledge about the correlation between levels of maternal exposure to EDCs or milk contamination and the health status of infants. They will study the extent of EDC contamination of mothers and children in rural and urban areas in Italy, and make recommendations to companies and policymakers on ways of reducing exposure.

Closing the loop for carbon fibres from vehicles (LIFE-CIRCE)
The use of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites in the transport sector has grown rapidly, enabling light-weight and more fuel-efficient vehicles. However, there are still crucial barriers to overcome, in terms of reclaiming complex fibre scraps and recycling the material for the market. A team from HP Composites, a company which designs CFRP, will demonstrate how scraps of CFRP that have been impregnated with resins can be used in different sectors without the need for complicated energy-intensive reprocessing, thus lowering raw material and manufacturing costs. The project team will design and construct two pilot machines to process CFRP and make it reusable in new products, and prove their technical and economic viability.

Recycling absorbent hygiene products into raw materials (LIFE HUB’n’SPOKE (H&S))
Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs), including nappies and sanitary pads, are considered non-recyclable in municipal waste and are thus landfilled or incinerated. But 30% of this waste by weight comprises plastics, cellulose fibre and superabsorbent polymer, all having huge potential as secondary raw materials (SRMs). LIFE HUB’n’SPOKE (H&S) partners will set up a pilot plant to demonstrate the feasibility of reusing materials from AHP waste in consumer products such as printing paper or plastic pellets. The project team will foster markets for SRM in Europe by creating a new circular economy model based on an innovative AHP waste collection and pre-treatment system. They will also work to optimise the technology used as well as the supply connections between relevant industries. The project will be coordinated by Fater SpA, an Italian AHP manufacturer.

Innovative process turns green waste into biogas and fertiliser (LIFE STEAM)
Green waste, consisting of leaves, wood cuttings, cut grass and agricultural residues, has high potential for biofuel production through anaerobic digestion. However, the predominance of non-soluble fibres made of lignin, called lignocellulosic fibres, currently means such waste is difficult to degrade, and much is landfilled or incinerated. LIFE STEAM aims to demonstrate a pilot plant that uses an innovative steam explosion technology to convert low-value lignocellulosic green waste into high-value biogas and biomethane as fuel for transport applications, and into a digestate which can be used as a fertiliser or soil amender. The project team will assess the economic viability and environmental benefits of the new process. LIFE STEAM will be led by the Italian environment, water and energy company Hera SpA.

Environmental governance & information (GIE)
Made green in Italy scheme (LIFE MAGIS)
In 2018, Italy adopted in law the ‘Made Green in Italy’ scheme, the first national initiative based on the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). Through the scheme, the environmental footprint of products can be evaluated, providing guidance to consumers and helping companies reduce their environmental impacts. The LIFE MAGIS project will be run by the Italian technology and energy agency ENEA. Its team will target consumers and producers to support the launch and spread of the PEF method and of the PEF-based ‘Made Green in Italy’ scheme. They will also define category rules that will underpin PEF studies on a number of product types: food products (snacks, ice cream, fruit, cheese and coffee), leather products, window fittings and cosmetics.

A new approach to cut waste and boost recycling (LIFE-REthinkWASTE)
The EU has a recycling target of 65% by 2035. Many areas across Europe are still below this level, but some municipalities have reached separate collection rates of 80-85% using innovative incentive schemes. ‘Pay as you throw’ is one of the most effective ways to increase recycling. But uptake in southern Europe is poor, with waste fees not reflecting the amounts generated. This hampers better waste separation and recycling. LIFE-REthinkWASTE aims to provide public authorities with ready-to-use decision support system software to get ‘pay as you throw’ recycling up and running. The goal of the project, led by the public utilities company ETRA, is to increase separate collection of waste, reduce residual waste per capita and boost the recovery rate, whilst simultaneously cutting the average household waste bill.

Wild pollinator conservation in the Mediterranean (LIFE 4 POLLINATORS)
Wild pollinators have declined because of changes in land use, intensive agriculture, pesticides, pollution, invasive alien species, diseases and climate change. Research suggests almost one-tenth of the EU’s wild bees are threatened with extinction, while data are lacking for over half. Information is particularly scarce on the Mediterranean basin, which harbours the majority of endemic wild bees and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. The knowledge gap on wild pollinators and their role is one of the main obstacles to halting this decline in the Mediterranean. Researchers from the University of Bologna leading this LIFE project seek to improve pollinator conservation by raising awareness about the problem and the importance of wild pollinators.

Cutting microplastic pollution of lakes in Germany and Italy (LIFE BLUE LAKES)
High levels of microplastic pollution have been found in lakes, even in remote locations. Microplastics get into the food chain and accumulate in animal species, with negative consequences for human health. One source of these particles entering the aquatic ecosystem is wastewater treatment plants. The project team from Legambiente, Italy’s largest environmental organisation, seeks to prevent and reduce microplastic waste in five lakes in Germany and Italy, by combining governance, training, information and awareness-raising
activities. It will produce a support tool and suggestions on plastic waste treatment, discharge limits, monitoring programmes and improvements to the wastewater treatment process.

Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)
Traditional dry-stone walls regenerated as a climate change adaptation tool (STONEWALLSFORLIFE)
Drystone terraces are considered an important measure in the Mediterranean region to counteract the effects of climate change on the local economy and environment, and prevent soil loss. The STONEWALLSFORLIFE project team will demonstrate the viability of drystone terraces as a climate change adaptation measure in the Cinque Terre National Park in Italy. Park authorities running the project will restore abandoned drystone terraces for use by local farmers. Innovative techniques will be used to improve the performance of drystone terraces in terms of drainage and landslide prevention. Additional techniques will be trialled in Spain to also counteract wildfires.

Climate Change Mitigation (CCM)
Data building for better managed, more resilient mountain forests (GreenChainSAW4LIFE)
Rural mountain areas are critical for achieving climate mitigation targets. However, unmanaged reforestation and land abandonment has reduced their resilience. The GreenChainSAW4LIFE project, run by laser and plasma tech company Iris S.r.l, will demonstrate a new participatory model of forest management which meets energy and climate adaptation and mitigation objectives. The project partners will bring together local rural forestry managers in northern Italy and create an online decision-support system with data on forest resources, a business model and a carbon flow calculator for different forest management scenarios.

Greener refrigeration in the ice-cream sector (LIFE ICEGREEN)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used in a variety of refrigeration equipment, such as commercial ice cream machines. When released into the atmosphere, HFCs have significant global warming potential and contribute to almost 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Propane is an excellent and economic substitute, with near-zero global warming potential. Nemox International s.r.l, the ice cream machine producer leading the project, aims to show that using propane as a refrigerant in innovative commercial ice cream machines is technically feasible, safe and commercially viable. This is in line with the EU’s F-gas regulation, under which HFCs must be phased out and replaced with alternatives that have near-zero global warming potential.

Preventing soil degradation in the Emilian Apennines (LIFE agriCOlture)
Many hilly and mountainous areas of central Italy suffer from soil degradation due to intensification of agriculture on the most productive land and the abandonment of land that has deteriorated. The loss of soil organic carbon is an indicator of this problem. Under LIFE agriCOlture, the land reclamation authority of Emilia Centrale plans to apply sustainable soil management techniques and show their effectiveness in protecting soil organic carbon in mountainous areas of the Emilian Apennines, a region prone to soil degradation.

Climate Governance & Information (GIC)
Collaborative transformation of urban green spaces in Mediterranean cities (LIFE CLIVUT)
Urban green spaces are a critical resource for cities to become more climate resilient, supporting air quality, soil stability, biodiversity and noise reduction. LIFE CLIVUT, run by the civil engineering department at the University of Perugia, will develop an urban green asset strategy for four medium-sized Mediterranean cities in Italy, Greece and Portugal, to help city planners make the most of their urban green spaces. The project team will get businesses and city residents involved in this strategy, encouraging businesses to sign up to climate-responsible business practices. Its tree planting will remove 230 tonnes of CO2 and 2 600 tonnes of particulate matter from the air per year. The team will also help restore native plants and trees, and eradicate invasive alien species which harm biodiversity in the cities.

Deepening international cooperation on emissions trading (LIFE DICET)
There is a need for enhanced international cooperation to integrate global carbon markets. The EU Emissions Trading System plays a world-leading role in this area. The LIFE DICET project team from the European University Institute aims to support policymakers at EU and Member State level in their efforts to deepen international cooperation on developing and integrating carbon markets. In particular, the project will help regulators and policymakers acquire knowledge of how carbon markets function, and communicate and exchange relevant information. The institute will establish an expert group, a carbon market policy dialogue between the European Commission and other regulators, and a knowledge-sharing platform.

Project summary

Maggiori dettagli:
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/eu-invests-240-million-nature-environment-and-climate-action