Periodic Reporting for period 1 - eNaBlS (Education and Nature-Based Solutions: enable society to bend the curve for biodiversity)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-01-01 al 2025-06-30
To address global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) play a significant role in European strategies related to both issues. At the same time, NBS require careful, multidisciplinary implementation because they touch upon diverse societal interests, often demand more space than conventional infrastructures, and may involve trade-offs. This underlines the need for enhanced cooperation in learning and capacity development for environmental sustainability, including biodiversity and NBS education, to better equip society to address these challenges.
In this context, Living Labs are highly relevant learning and transformation arenas. They foster practice-oriented, collaborative learning between science and society, strengthen competencies for sustainable lifestyles and the green labour market, and support transformative learning processes. To be effective, however, they also require sound didactic concepts to avoid reproducing unsustainable practices.
Considering this need, eNaBlS focuses on setting the basis of networking and collaboration by promoting transdisciplinary dialogue. It also further embeds and unfolds NBS concepts and approaches within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) organisations.
The overall objective for eNaBlS is to:
• Contribute to a nature-positive society through the necessary transformative change of communities, business models, and lifestyles, and specifically to
• Put biodiversity and climate on the path to recovery, responding to the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy.
To achieve these objectives, eNaBlS welcomes a plurality of values and knowledge. It also puts emphasis on multi-actor collaboration and a Whole Institution Approach (WIA). In the seven Living Labs (LL) created in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Lithuania, Greece, and the Czech Republic, eNaBlS aims to include all voices.
In this context, Living Labs are highly relevant learning and transformation arenas. They foster practice-oriented, collaborative learning between science and society, strengthen competencies for sustainable lifestyles and the green labour market, and support transformative learning processes. To be effective, however, they also require sound didactic concepts to avoid reproducing unsustainable practices.
Considering this need, eNaBlS focuses on setting the basis of networking and collaboration by promoting transdisciplinary dialogue. It also further embeds and unfolds NBS concepts and approaches within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) organisations.
The overall objective for eNaBlS is to:
• Contribute to a nature-positive society through the necessary transformative change of communities, business models, and lifestyles, and specifically to
• Put biodiversity and climate on the path to recovery, responding to the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy.
To achieve these objectives, eNaBlS welcomes a plurality of values and knowledge. It also puts emphasis on multi-actor collaboration and a Whole Institution Approach (WIA). In the seven Living Labs (LL) created in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Lithuania, Greece, and the Czech Republic, eNaBlS aims to include all voices.
During the reporting period P1, eNaBlS carried out a range of activities aligned with its specific objectives and made significant progress to achieve them. The activities are structured within six work packages:
WP1 - MAPPING: Understanding current biodiversity and NBS positioning (UHOH):
In WP1, by conducting surveys and interviews, eNaBlS assessed the biodiversity loss and NBS positioning in HEIs and TVET and provided an overview of existing networking and collaboration schemes within and in between these institutions. The current status and trends in terms of addressing biodiversity loss with NBS were identified with a comprehensive literature review. Specifically, the awareness and perceptions of biodiversity loss and NBS were evaluated through an online survey targeted to the quintuple helix. A report outlining the results from WP1 was prepared by eNaBlS (D1.1).
WP2 - Structuring: Providing support to LLs throughout the eNaBlS lifetime (UEF):
In WP2, eNaBlS established 7 LLs in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Lithuania, Greece, and the Czech Republic to deploy its activities through an integrative approach. An operational framework for LLs was created to provide guidance on LL processes as well as useful tools and resources (D2.1). A dedicated microsite hosted within the Oppla platform was prepared as the initial version of the project’s online platform, and the content to be presented on this platform is under preparation. An NBS curriculum was designed, and the first corresponding modules were drafted, which will be accompanied by a teacher training guide (D2.3).
WP3 – LLs in Action (WUR):
In WP3, each eNaBlS LL prepared their action plan to co-design and implement activities that promote biodiversity conservation and a just transition by means of NBS (D3.1). All LLs organised gatherings and activities focused on NBS with various stakeholders, experimenting with the LL way of working. Monitoring and evaluation protocols were prepared in the form of logbook templates and a matching toolbox to facilitate the continuous LL development as well as their cross-fertilisation and upscaling across Europe. Members of the LL teams share experiences to inspire and learn from each other, and further strengthen their competencies within the LL context in sessions with emphasis on, for instance, facilitation and Inner Development Goals (IDGs).
WP4 - Impact Assessment, Replication & Recommendations (ICA):
In WP4, eNaBlS developed monitoring methodologies, including stakeholder engagement and reflexive monitoring activities, to maximise its performance and impact. An Impact Monitoring and Assessment Plan was prepared (D4.1) and updated (D4.2).
WP5 - Dissemination, Communication, Exploitation, and Sustainability – P1 (FOCUS):
In WP5, a strategy for dissemination and communication (D5.1) was designed in the early stages of eNaBlS and updated within the reporting period (D5.2). To effectively engage identified target audiences and communicate the project’s key messages, multiple promotional materials were designed. eNaBlS also identified synergies and complementarities with several relevant projects. An Exploitation and Sustainability Plan was developed as part of D5.2 and further updated as a separate deliverable (D5.3).
WP6 - Project Management – P1 (UHOH):
In WP6, a Project and Quality Management Plan was prepared (D6.1) to ensure appropriate and efficient coordination and management of the project while facilitating the internal communication across the consortium. A Data Management Plan was also developed (D6.2) and updated (D6.2) to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and to handle ethics issues (GDPR). eNaBlS further produced a Policy Brief under this work package (D6.4).
WP1 - MAPPING: Understanding current biodiversity and NBS positioning (UHOH):
In WP1, by conducting surveys and interviews, eNaBlS assessed the biodiversity loss and NBS positioning in HEIs and TVET and provided an overview of existing networking and collaboration schemes within and in between these institutions. The current status and trends in terms of addressing biodiversity loss with NBS were identified with a comprehensive literature review. Specifically, the awareness and perceptions of biodiversity loss and NBS were evaluated through an online survey targeted to the quintuple helix. A report outlining the results from WP1 was prepared by eNaBlS (D1.1).
WP2 - Structuring: Providing support to LLs throughout the eNaBlS lifetime (UEF):
In WP2, eNaBlS established 7 LLs in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Lithuania, Greece, and the Czech Republic to deploy its activities through an integrative approach. An operational framework for LLs was created to provide guidance on LL processes as well as useful tools and resources (D2.1). A dedicated microsite hosted within the Oppla platform was prepared as the initial version of the project’s online platform, and the content to be presented on this platform is under preparation. An NBS curriculum was designed, and the first corresponding modules were drafted, which will be accompanied by a teacher training guide (D2.3).
WP3 – LLs in Action (WUR):
In WP3, each eNaBlS LL prepared their action plan to co-design and implement activities that promote biodiversity conservation and a just transition by means of NBS (D3.1). All LLs organised gatherings and activities focused on NBS with various stakeholders, experimenting with the LL way of working. Monitoring and evaluation protocols were prepared in the form of logbook templates and a matching toolbox to facilitate the continuous LL development as well as their cross-fertilisation and upscaling across Europe. Members of the LL teams share experiences to inspire and learn from each other, and further strengthen their competencies within the LL context in sessions with emphasis on, for instance, facilitation and Inner Development Goals (IDGs).
WP4 - Impact Assessment, Replication & Recommendations (ICA):
In WP4, eNaBlS developed monitoring methodologies, including stakeholder engagement and reflexive monitoring activities, to maximise its performance and impact. An Impact Monitoring and Assessment Plan was prepared (D4.1) and updated (D4.2).
WP5 - Dissemination, Communication, Exploitation, and Sustainability – P1 (FOCUS):
In WP5, a strategy for dissemination and communication (D5.1) was designed in the early stages of eNaBlS and updated within the reporting period (D5.2). To effectively engage identified target audiences and communicate the project’s key messages, multiple promotional materials were designed. eNaBlS also identified synergies and complementarities with several relevant projects. An Exploitation and Sustainability Plan was developed as part of D5.2 and further updated as a separate deliverable (D5.3).
WP6 - Project Management – P1 (UHOH):
In WP6, a Project and Quality Management Plan was prepared (D6.1) to ensure appropriate and efficient coordination and management of the project while facilitating the internal communication across the consortium. A Data Management Plan was also developed (D6.2) and updated (D6.2) to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and to handle ethics issues (GDPR). eNaBlS further produced a Policy Brief under this work package (D6.4).
eNaBlS produced three publicly available outputs, which contribute directly to the project’s scientific impact. All were published as open-access resources on various platforms, including Zenodo, Oppla, and the project’s website.