Marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems play a crucial role in maintaining Earth’s balance. However, they’re facing serious threats due to climate change, particularly the intensifying hydro-meteorological events like river flooding and landslides. Numerous EU-funded projects are working to protect marine ecosystems and conserve their biodiversity.
One such project is OPERANDUM, which seeked to address these challenges using Nature-based Solutions. OPERANDUM (July 2018 – December 2022) aimed to establish outdoor laboratories known as Open Air Laboratories (OALs) to find ways to reduce the impacts of hydro-meteorological events.
In a recent interview with CORDIS, project coordinator and professor of atmospheric physics at the University of Bologna Silvana Di Sabatino highlights the importance of OALs in reshaping how we manage risks associated with severe weather. Di Sabatino explains that these labs offer innovative ways to adapt and fortify landscapes using Nature-based Solutions.
Results Pack on marine biodiversity
CORDIS collected the outcomes of 11 EU-funded projects on this theme, including OPERANDUM, in a Results Pack. The projects highlight the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services research for a sustainable environment in Europe and the relevance of such initiatives for current and future policy objectives.