promoting Research Excellence in NAture-based soluTions for innovation, sUstainable economic GRowth and human wEll-being in Malta

Project Information

RENATURE

Grant agreement ID: 809988

DOI

10.3030/809988

Project closed

EC signature date 8 June 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 August 2021

Funded under

• Twinning of research institutions

Total cost

€ 995 905,00

EU contribution

€ 995 885,00

Coordinated by

MALTA COLLEGE OF ARTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Malta

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RENATURE (promoting Research Excellence in NAture-based soluTions for innovation, sUstainable economic GRowth and human wEll-being in Malta)

Reporting period: 2019-12-01 to 2021-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The challenge of putting together socio-economic demands and environmental challenges is particularly felt in Malta, which has the highest population density in the EU, rapid urbanisation and economic growth. A central idea in the use of nature-based solutions is that of addressing the societal challenges of fostering innovation, job and business opportunities, and social cohesion whilst at the same time creating net positive effects on biodiversity, the environment and on human well-being.
The ReNature project aims to establish and implement a nature-based solutions research strategy for Malta with a vision to promote research and innovation to develop solutions that improve human well-being whilst tackling environmental challenges. The strategy will be complemented by a newly-developed research cluster to act on it, with a vision to stimulate both scientific excellence and innovation capacity towards achieving the goals of sustainable development. More specifically, the objectives of the ReNature project are to:
1. strengthen collaborations across the science-policy interface and stimulate common research projects and information flow among the different players;
2. provide opportunities for capacity-building to enable Maltese entities to collaborate and link up with third parties for the development of excellent scientific research in the nature-based solutions sector;
3. develop evidence-base to inform practitioners and policy-makers on landscape and urban planning as key components of green infrastructure;
4. carry out a knowledge synthesis for policy-making and share a developed, evidence-based compendium, consisting of research data and peer-reviewed publications from collaborative research, in open access repositories;
5. extend the partnership by clustering with ongoing and future projects on nature-based solutions at European scale, and
6. provide solutions and alternatives to national authorities, policy-makers and businesses on the implementation of nature-based solutions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The activities carried out have included training and networking events aimed at building up the research capacity and at promoting research excellence in the field of nature-based solutions. During the first reporting period, the ReNature team has organised two training courses, held in Paola (Malta) and Dublin (Ireland). These training courses have included the participation of MCAST staff and stakeholders working in Malta. Expert visits were held by MCAST and the research-intensive partners. A postgraduate module with title ‘Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Nature-Based Solutions’, accredited by MCAST at 18 ECTS at Masters level, was developed and has been delivered to MCAST staff. The Renaturing Cities: Interdisciplinary Summer School (2 ECTS) has aimed to provide participants with an understanding of the features and potential of nature-based solutions in the context of a holistic approach towards landscape sustainability.
ReNature has carried out a collaborative, multi-stakeholder exercise to identify priority knowledge needs that could enhance the uptake of NBS in Mediterranean islands. We used a well-established iterative prioritisation method based on a modified Delphi process to minimise bias. We identified 47 priority resulting knowledge needs in rank order, classified according to whether they can be addressed by knowledge synthesis and further research, or demand action in policy and practice.
During the second reporting period, the ReNature team has organised three training courses, held in Paola (Malta), Trento (Italy), and a virtual event due to the COVID-19 emergency. These training courses have included the participation of MCAST staff and stakeholders working in Malta. The ReNature 3rd Training Course was held in Trento, and the theme was “Nature-based Solutions in Urban Planning”. The ReNature 4th Training Course was held at MCAST and has included presentations on topics relating to nature-based solutions in rural landscapes. The ReNature 5th Training Course was held online via Zoom and livestreamed on YouTube, has focused on nature-based solutions and the science-policy interface. All courses have included a strong practical element and have included the use of technology (e.g. drone usage), group work to facilitate interactions, and field visits. The Second ReNature Interdisciplinary Training School (Summer School), with title “Planning Nature-based Solutions in Cities”, was converted to a virtual event due to the COVID-19 emergency and was attended by 38 students.
Through consultation with stakeholders, we have developed a ReNature NBS Compendium and Toolkit that is openly available online. The compendium shares good practices and experiences from the implementation of NBS around the Mediterranean region. It includes 42 entries from Malta, and 53 case studies in connection with the Mediterranean climate. The tasks carried out during the first periodic review period have allowed us to identify the knowledge gaps and the research needs in the NBS sector. During the second periodic review period, we have identified barriers preventing wider implementation of NBS in Mediterranean islands. We have developed a strategic research agenda to establish long-term research collaboration opportunities that extend beyond the duration of the ReNature project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The successful implementation of the ReNature tasks has contributed to several impacts that extend beyond the current state of art of research on NBS in the project partners, Malta, and potentially, also within the Mediterranean region. Through the project activities, we have established an interdisciplinary NBS cluster with strong interlinkages with stakeholders working in the environmental sector and beyond. This cluster has not only been used during the ReNature project, but will also be available beyond the duration and activity of the project. The project has contributed to the training of experts working at the coordinating institution, the ReNature partners and stakeholders working in Malta and other countries. This is expected to contribute to the long-term capacity to carry out research on NBS at the coordinating institution and at national level.
Socio-economic impacts and the wider societal implications of the ReNature project include:
• The delivery of training to improve capacity in biodiversity, green infrastructure and ecosystem services monitoring;
• The delivery of training on NBS interventions and mainstreaming NBS;
• The development of knowledge-exchange interactions between stakeholders in Malta, the ReNature partners, students and practitioners;
• The identification of knowledge gaps for the implementation of NBS within the region;
• The development of collaborative research between MCAST, TCD, UEA, UCAM, UNITN and Pensoft and other stakeholders in Malta which has already led to scientific outcomes (e.g. publications, conference participation, project proposals, etc.);
• Strong communication with local stakeholders and in particular with policy and business;
• The co-development of a ReNature NBS Compendium which is based on the inputs of the ReNature partnes and stakeholders working in Malta;
• The facilitation of interactions between different policy sectors and between policy and academia.

ReNature 1st Training Course (Paola, Malta)

ReNaturing Cities: Interdisciplinary Summer School fieldwork in Comino

ReNature 2nd Training Course (Dublin, Ireland)

ReNaturing Cities: Interdisciplinary Summer School