The National Innovation Agency presents two sustainability projects coordinated by Portuguese entities and supported by ANI under the Horizon Europe Framework Program.
NATURELAB
The NatureLab project, coordinated by the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC), develops nature-based therapies through the use of green and blue spaces (natural areas with water) to improve communities and the health and well-being of people. Its innovative approach follows eight objectives to ensure the environmental and social sustainability of communities and to increase their resilience to extreme climatic events. “Addressing sustainability challenges requires an integration of territorial dimensions, natural resources, and quality of life for populations, and NATURELAB operates in all these areas,” assures Ana Estela Barbosa from LNEC.
The project operates in five countries and, in Portugal, it is working on six experimental sites located in Sintra (four) and Foz do Neiva (two). These sites are being evaluated for “the quality of natural spaces, considering biodiversity and air quality,” so they can eventually be “scientifically validated to improve the quality of life and health of people with various physical conditions, such as obesity, and/or mental conditions, such as stress.” Ana Estela Barbosa states that the final phase involves integrating these therapies into national health services, facilitating access for young people, adults, and seniors “to healthcare with clear economic, social, and environmental benefits.”
“The consortium’s main motivation is to contribute to a better and more sustainable world and help communities achieve higher levels of inclusion, health, and well-being, in full harmony with the natural environment,” says Ana Estela Barbosa.
For more information about the project, visit: https://naturelab-project.eu/
FEASTS
The FEASTS project, coordinated by Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), brings together 35 partners across 16 countries and focuses on the sustainable development of cellular agriculture. It seeks responsible methods for producing cultivated meat and fish, aiming to minimize waste and industrial residue production. The project also includes the participation of three other Portuguese institutions: the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, in Braga; the S2AQUA collaborative laboratory, in Olhão; and CellAgri Portugal.
According to Frederico Ferreira from IST, based on “studies dedicated to analyzing the environmental, economic, and social implications of different production models, both centralized and decentralized,” for various types of cultivated meat and fish, the project aims to redefine the governance models guiding European food systems, incorporating sustainable cellular agriculture.
The establishment of the Portuguese fishing and livestock industries, as we know them, makes this project an ambitious response offering “sustainable alternatives to conventional meat and fish production that can address ethical concerns and the environmental effects” of these industries on the environment, shares Frederico Ferreira.
For more information about the project, visit: https://feasts-innovation.eu
According to Frederico Ferreira, the Horizon Europe Framework Program has enabled these “open science” projects to foster collaboration between academia, SMEs, and public entities, providing “an approach that breaks down silos and develops innovative solutions for complex sustainability issues.” Additionally, it ensures that “their results are shared with partners, the general public, and industry, which helps disseminate technological and innovation advancements in emerging sectors.”
“The very dynamics of the Program enhance the likelihood that the solutions are innovative—due to the high level of multidisciplinarity and collaboration—and contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability, as they are designed to ensure this outcome,” concludes Ana Estela Barbosa.
