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Large scale RESToration of COASTal ecosystems through rivers to sea connectivity

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

New ways to restore coastal ecosystems

To what extent can upscaled coastal restoration provide low-carbon adaptation? Can it reduce risks and provide biodiversity gains for vulnerable coastal ecosystems like wetlands or seagrass beds? The EU-funded REST-COAST project will bring together 38 partners to assess ecosystem services from coastal marshes, seabed meadows and coastal dunes, to reduce erosion and flooding risks while enhancing biodiversity and blue carbon. It will develop large-scale river-coast connectivity and increase the nearshore accommodation space for the resilient delivery of coastal ecosystem services. The project will conduct nine pilots in the main EU regional seas (Baltic, Black, North, Atlantic and Mediterranean) with the aim of increasing the commitment of citizens, stakeholders and policymakers.

Objective

REST COAST will demonstrate to what extent upscaled coastal restoration can provide a low-carbon adaptation, reducing risks and providing gains in biodiversity for vulnerable coastal ecosystems, such as wetlands or sea grass beds. By overcoming present technical, economic, governance and social barriers to restoration upscaling, REST COAST will develop the large-scale river-coast connectivity and increase the nearshore accommodation space for the resilient delivery of coastal ecosystem services (ESS). The selected ESS (risk reduction, environmental quality and fish provisioning) touch urgent coastal problems such as the erosion/flooding during recent storms or the accelerating coastal habitat degradation that seriously affects fisheries and aquaculture. By enhancing these ESS under present and future climates at 9 Pilots that represent the main EU regional seas (Baltic, Black, North, Atlantic and Mediterranean) we shall increase the commitment of citizens, stakeholders and policy makers for a long-term maintenance of restoration. Such commitment will go together with a transformation of governance and financial structures, supported by evidence-based results on restoration benefits for the welfare of coastal societies and assets. This transformation will build upon the results from hands-on restoration at the Pilots, steered by the multidisciplinary project advances. Combining new techniques, risk assessments, innovative financial/governance arrangements and homogeneous metrics for ESS and biodiversity, REST-COAST will develop a systemic approach to coastal restoration based on a scalable coastal adaptation plan. The plan will underpin a transformative change in governance and policies, proving the importance of the coastal dimension in the EU Green Deal for adaptation/mitigation under climate change. The proposed adaptation will facilitate replicating large scale restoration and introducing coastal ESS into national and international policies.

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Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

H2020-LC-GD-2020

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Sub call

H2020-LC-GD-2020-3

Funding Scheme

IA - Innovation action

Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA
Net EU contribution
€ 2 368 750,00
Address
Calle jordi girona 31
08034 Barcelona
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Other funding
€ 0,00

Participants (43)

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EC signature date 8 September 2021
Last update: 25 August 2023

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101037097

European Union, 2023