Frederick University is participating as a partner in the TASC-RestoreMed project, funded by the European Commission under the HORIZON programme, which aims to support actions contributing to the achievement of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. This Mission is one of the five EU Missions designed to address major global challenges by 2030. It focuses on protecting and restoring oceans and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement, and investments in the Blue Economy. The Mission treats oceans and waters as a single interconnected system and plays a crucial role in achieving climate neutrality and ecosystem restoration.
The TASC-RestoreMed project, in which Frederick University participates alongside nine other European partners, seeks to provide technical and other forms of support to Mediterranean communities so they can take action to protect and restore marine ecosystems, reduce marine pollution, and promote a circular, blue, zero-carbon economy. The project aspires to deliver tangible change by combining environmental sustainability with social justice.
“Through this project, we will provide support to at least five large-scale and twenty small-scale initiatives within the EU. Our goal is for coastal communities in Cyprus to also benefit from this initiative,” said Dr Michalis Meneiou, Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Frederick University, and a member of the project team, which also includes Dr Marios Charalambides, a member of the university’s academic staff.
“We have the expertise to offer consulting services on sustainability studies, business plans for community-based sustainable development, and assessments of environmental and socio-economic impacts. It is important for everyone to be involved — from citizens to governments — so that proposed solutions truly reflect the needs of local communities and gain broad acceptance. Most importantly, we will be by their side throughout the process, providing ongoing support for the implementation of their actions, with the ultimate goal of protecting our seas,” Dr Meneiou added.
The TASC-RestoreMed research project has a duration of four years and a total budget of €12.5 million, which will be distributed across five large-scale and twenty small-scale community projects. Its ambitious objectives include the creation of marine protected areas, a 50% reduction in marine litter, and a reduction in microplastics, leading to the preservation of essential nutrients in marine ecosystems.
Frederick University will contribute its expertise to the development of case studies assessing the impact of community projects. These studies will ensure that the proposed solutions are not only economically viable but also aligned with market conditions, regulations, legislation, and broader EU and Mediterranean policies. The University will also collaborate with project partners to evaluate the additional impacts of these solutions on the environment, climate, health, and biodiversity.
The project consortium includes:
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) – Greece
- National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) – Greece
- CIIMAR Interdisciplinary Centre – Portugal
- Impact Hub Labs – Greece
- Asociación Centro Tecnológico Naval y del Mar (CTN) – Spain
- University of Maribor – Slovenia
- VLIZ Institute – Belgium
- F6S Network – Ireland
- InforData Sistemi Srl-INFOR – Italy
Source: Frederick University | News (https://tinyurl.com/y23mnwpa)