ECO-SMART

TO6

Preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency.

The project in numbers

Duration:

24 months

Start date: 01.02.20

End date: 31.01.22

N. Partner: 5

Progress

Budget:

782.076,00€

Budget FERS:

664.764,59€

The project in numbers

Duration:

24 months

Start / End:

01.02.20 to 31.01.22

Project progress:

45%

Budget:

782076.00€

Budget FERS:

664764.59€

ECO-SMART

ECO-SMART Market of Ecosystem services for an Advanced NATURA2K Area Protection Policy

Priority Axis 3

Protecting and promoting natural and cultural resources

Specific Objective:

OS 3.2.

Investment Priority:

PI 6d

Typology:

Standard

Overall Objective of the Project:

The objective is to contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity in NATURA 2K ITA-SLO sites thanks to the development and pilot application of eco systemic services (ESS) / payment systems for eco systemic services (PES) methods for drafting adaptation plans to climate change. The project contributes to the CO23 objective by establishing a common, scalable and replicable ESS / PES system, planning and implementing biodiversity protection measures thanks to pilot actions, courses and workshops on ESS and PES and capitalization actions in the regulatory framework of the regions.

Project summary:

The EU affirmed the strategic role of protecting ecosystems in mitigating the climate changes effects, while supporting the resilience of territories. The ECO-SMART project addresses the challenge of improved capacity of monitoring climate change and planning appropriate adaptation measures to avoid negative effects undermining the quality of biodiversity in the areas NATURA2K. The general objective of the ECO-SMART project is to evaluate and to test the crossborder economic feasibility of biodiversity safeguard actions in NATURA2K areas through the pilot application of payment systems for eco systemic services (PES). ECO-SMART will provide: 1) framework to assess the vulnerability to climate change of the involved NATURA2K areas, 2) sustainable adaptation plans through PES models in 3 pilot application at NATURA2K network sites (2 in ITA and 1 in SLO); 3) wide dissemination of harmonized procedures for the application of Ecosystem Services (ESS) approaches, and PES methods for the design of conservation of biodiversity in NATURA2K areas.

Main results:

Actions to tackle climate change and establish adaptation measures require significant financial and technical resources. The public authorities involved in the project, for their institutional role are called to guide these processes even with limited resources. ECO-SMART aims to facilitate this process so as to encourage the conservation of NATURA2K sites. It is expected to obtain biodiversity conservation results for the following sites. In Veneto: IT 3250033 - Caorle Lagoon - Foce del Tagliamento, IT 3250040 - Foce del Tagliamento, IT 3250041 - Zumelle Valli di Bibione (including black pine forests, holm oak, Erica carnea, Rhamnus saxatilis, Epipactis atropurpurea). In FVG: SIC Cavana IT3330007 (natural biotypes "Palude di Cavana" and "resurgent Schiavetti"), Val Stagnon Nature Reserve and the Risano river SI5000008 (250 different bird species or more than 60% of the whole of Slovenia; presence of plants called halophytes).
Technical results are: 1) a database of eco systemic services (ESS) (description, evaluation and mapping) (MAES model) and of climate change effects (in line with EU CLIMATE-ADAPT tools); 2) an analysis of the most effective payment systems for eco systemic services (PES) to finance measures to adapt to climate change in the NATURA2k areas addresssed by the project; 3) a set of ESS / PES / adaptation procedures and guidelines applicable to other NATURA 2000k areas; 4) an harmonized system between ITA and SLO to address the effects of climate change on ecosystems; 5) a training curriculum on the topic; 6) 3 pilot applications of PES methods to facilitate the implementation of adaptation measures; 7) start up of 3 adaptation plans for the protection of NATURA2K areas (one per region).