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Under the 2003 EU Greek presidency, cooperation with Balkan countries on environmental issues was identified as a priority of the EU/Balkan Action Plan. Large-scale co-operation is essential for effective action in the vulnerable Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal zones. During the last 50 years both areas suffered major changes; as semi-enclosed basins, both Seas are ultra-sensitive to anthropogenic stress and to climate change. An EU Presidency Conference on Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean/Black Sea (May 2003), revealed major gaps in management structures, scientific strategies and identified a diversity of environmental issues to be resolved through priority-focused RTD cooperation. Yet, while pressure on the resources of the two seas increases and the potential impact of climate change on coastal and deep-sea resources remains unknown, the two seas have never been jointly studied as systems of interacting basins and ecosystems. The proposal outlines collaboration and clustering schemes involving environmental, economic and scientific organisations in Mediterranean, Black Sea and other EU nations, in order to create synergies in networking and exchanges at several levels, addressing for the first time the system of interconnected basins as one, based on the integration of, both horizontally and vertically, natural scientists and economists. These will: 1) Create an international, interdisciplinary platform coordinating the region's scientific potential in order to prepare RTD projects, based on a Science Plan for the region, securing sustainable development; 2) Focus on natural and anthropogenic pressures exerted upon the functioning of the ecosystem; 3) Reinforce RTD capacity by setting up an environment/resource monitoring network in the light of existing observation networks of different scopes. Prime Contractor: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, Anavyssos, GR.
SUNBIOPATH - towards a better sunlight to biomass conversion efficiency in microalgae - is an integrated program of research aimed at improving biomass yields and valorisation of biomass for two Chlorophycean photosynthetic microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Dunaliella salina. Biomass yields will be improved at the level of primary processes that occur in the chloroplasts (photochemistry and sunlight capture by the light harvesting complexes) and in the cell (biochemical pathways and signalling mechanisms that influence ATP synthesis). Optimal growth of the engineered microalgae will be determined in photobioreactors, and biomass yields will be tested using a scale up approach in photobioreactors of different sizes (up to 250 L), some of which being designed and built during SUNBIOPATH. Biomethane production will be evaluated. Compared to other biofuels, biomethane is attractive because the yield of biomass to fuel conversion is higher. Valorisation of biomass will also be achieved through the production of biologicals. Significant progress has been made in the development of chloroplast genetic engineering in microalgae such as Chlamydomonas, however the commercial exploitation of this technology still requires additional research. SUNBIOPATH will address the problem of maximising transgenic expression in the chloroplast and will develop a robust system for chloroplast metabolic engineering by developing methodologies such as inducible expression and trans-operon expression. A techno economic analysis will be made to evaluate the feasibility of using these algae for the purposes proposed (biologicals production in the chloroplast and/or biomethane production) taking into account their role in CO2 mitigation.
Two innovative integrated Fuel Cell Systems for automotive application will be developed within specific Technological Platforms (TPs): TP1 POWERTRAIN: development of a system for traction power by an 80 kW direct hydrogen PEM fuel cell system implemented on a passenger car. TP2 APU: development of 5 kW Auxiliary Power Unit for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, including microstructured diesel oil steam reformer, clean-up reactors, an innovative reformate hydrogen stack and balance of plant components. These objectives will be reached via R&TD activities that will address the most critical technical bottlenecks which currently hamper wide market penetration of PEM fuel cell systems for road transport, while accounting some of the key market and policy drivers and barriers. Particularly, the following innovative components will be developed: A 80 kW direct hydrogen stack with strong weight and volume reduction, increased efficiency, durability and start-up time, with innovative MEAs embodying sealing layers (7-layers MEAs); A 5 kW reformate stack, including innovative electrocatalyst and MEA elements tolerant to very high CO concentrations and low-resisitivity bipolar plates; A highly efficient, clean and compact micro-structured diesel steam reformer and gas purification unit; Variable displacement compressors with reduced noise level; Innovative humidification/dehumidification apparatus; Heat exchanger and radiator customised for the different applications; Specific targets for both platforms will be achieved via a system approach leading to development and validation of the concepts (POWERTRAIN: in a passenger car; APU: dynamic test validation in bench) with high well-to-wheel efficiency (low fuel consumption), easy and optimised packaging and on-board integration.
Objective: The project focuses on the demonstration of an innovative and sustainable CHP concept using residues from olive oil production (olive wastes) as fuel. A first plant based on the new concept will be realised in Greece. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate a closed cycle concept able to reduce landfill problems and emissions and to promote the use of renewable electricity production in Southern Europe. The project will be based on an approach integrating the whole chain (fuel logistics and preparation, energy production, by-product utilisation). An optimised fuel logistic concept will guarantee for a secured fuel supply over the whole year. The fuel will not only be dewatered and dried but also a marketable by-product will be produced. By this means a better fuel quality can be achieved and solid wastes as well as waste- water can be omitted. The development and design of the combustion unit focuses on a technology tailored to the special characteristics of the olive waste.
The proposed regulation concerning the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) requires demonstration of the safe manufacture of chemicals and their safe use throughout the supply chain. There is therefore a strong need to strengthen and advance human and environmental risk assessment knowledge and practices with regard to chemicals, in accord with the precautionary principle. The goal of the project OSIRIS is to develop integrated testing strategies (ITS) fit for REACH that enable to significantly increase the use of non-testing information for regulatory decision making, and thus minimise the need for animal testing. To this end, operational procedures will be developed, tested and disseminated that guide a transparent and scientifically sound evaluation of chemical substances in a risk-driven, context-specific and substance-tailored (RCS) manner. The envisaged decision theory framework includes alternative methods such as chemical and biological read-across, in vitro results, in vivo information on analogues, qualitative and quantitative structure-activity relationships, thresholds of toxicological concern and exposure-based waiving, and takes into account cost-benefit analyses as well as societal risk perception. It is based on the new REACH paradigm to move away from extensive standard testing to a more intelligent, substance-tailored approach. The work will be organised in five interlinked research pillars (chemical domain, biological domain, exposure, integration strategies and tools, case studies), with a particular focus on more complex, long-term and high-cost endpoints. Case studies will demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the new ITS methodologies, and provide guidance in concrete form. To ensure optimal uptake of the results obtained in this project, end-users in industry and regulatory authorities will be closely involved in monitoring and in providing specific technical contributions to this project.
Objective: The decoupling of economic growth and the growth of transport represents a major objective within the European transport policy. The major contributor to transport growth has to be seen in the increased transport intensity of value creation. On the supply side, the non-optimal utilisation of transport capacities and modes contributes to the growth of transport, for example in the lack of acceptance of inter-modal transport. This has been a major issue for policy makers for many years. In order to get a better understanding of the interrelation between logistics decisions and transport demand, the EC supported a number of research projects, such as SULOGTRA, EUTRALOG and PROTRANS. As a result, substantial scientific evidence has been produced. However, to achieve the Commission objectives, these findings must be translated into the daily operations of shippers and logistics service providers.
BRAHMATWINN will enhance capacity to carry out a harmonised integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach as addressed by the European Water Initiative (EWI) in headwater river systems of alpine mountain massifs already impacted from climate change, and to establish transfer of professional IWRM expertise, approaches and tools based on case studies carried out in twinning European and Asian river basins. With altogether eleven work packages (WP) the project addresses all important IWRM issues in a balanced way, including conflict resolution in the trans- boundary twinning Upper Danube River Basin (UDRB) and the Upper Brahmaputra River Basins (UBRB) in Europe and South Asia respectively. In altogether seventy work tasks of the jointly identified WP social and natural scientists in cooperation with water law experts and local stakeholders will realize the project outcomes: (i) an integrated holistic approach and assessment of the transboundary UDRB and UBRB for sustainable IWRM; (ii) integrated indicators to quantify the natural environment and human dimension, selected to assess IWRM vulnerabilities; (iii) an integrated water resources management system (IWRMS) comprising the DANUBIA hydrological model, the river basin information system (RBIS) and the network analysis, creative modelling decision support system NetSyMod; (iv) a set of what-if scenarios, evaluated using the DPSIR approach, and associated adaptive IWRM options tested by means of the IWRMS to mitigate impacts of likely climate change; and (v) IWRM action plans based on the stakeholder negotiation and the governance assessment. The project consortium of altogether fifteen partners from Europe (10 partner) and Asia (5 partner) shares the financial grant requested proportionally and will guarantee the generation of the necessary synergism required to represent the complex system component interaction and to carry out the required knowledge transfer between Europe and Asia.
Objective: The constitution of the common European market is accompanied by continuously increasing cross-border goods and passenger traffic. Road transportation is facing a rapidly increasing congestion whilein the contrary the available capacities in railway transportation as well as inland waterwaytransportation are being underutilised. A redistribution of the carriage of goods is urgently needed, but up to now the most important obstacles consists in the incompatible interfaces between the various carriers and the diversity of loading devices being used in the EU. Main objective of the project is the development of new intermodal loading units including devices (ISO-bulk container and Roll-off container), capable adaptors and mobile fixtures suitable for the trimodal transport of bulk and packaged goods at road, railway and inland waterways. Essential element of the project is the design and integration of innovative adaptors for lifting and shifting operations of the loading units. This will lead to an optimum on intermodal compatibility. The goals are in conformity with the aims of the Specific Programme 'Sustainable Surface Transport', research domain 3.16. 'Development of equipment for fast loading / unloading of intermodal transport units'. By application of the new loading units the logistic chain can be set up without changing the loading unit throughout the whole door-to-door transport process. The transhipping procedures do not require crane technology any more and the costs will be reduced substantially. The uniformity of the specialinternal features as well as the compliance with the ISO-container dimensions will contribute to the harmonisation of loading units. The projects includes the development of containers, adaptors and mobile units, test and demonstration of two prototypes and dissemination and exploitation of the results. The consortium consists of ten partner with six SMEs from five countries (G, HU, CH, A,CR)
Objective: Mobility Management (MM) and Travel Awareness (TA) have many advantages as soft policy strategies: they are flexible, adaptable, rapid to implement and offer value-for-money. Many sustainable transport research projects have covered MM and TA, but in isolated projects, limited to larger cities and pilot demonstrations. SUCCESS now offers the chance to link these two areas and exploit their synergies, based on its research areas: A Innovative Approaches in TA B Behaviour Change Models and Prospective Assessment C Quality Management and MM For Smaller Cities D Integrating Planning and MM. They will be linked via horizontal WPs: WP 1 State-of-the-art analysis WP 2 Conceptualisation and specification of research activities WP 3 Monitoring investigations and implementation WP 4 Compiling results WP 5 Dissemination and WP 0 Project Management, Quality Control and Evaluation run in parallel for the duration of the project. Organising the work in this way will deliver excellent results.
Ohne einen kurzfristigen erheblichen Fortschritt wird die Welt das Hygieneziel der Jahrtausendentwicklungsziele (MDG) um eine halbe Milliarde Menschen verfehlen. Betrachtet man etwa die subsaharischen Länder Afrikas, dann hat fast zweidrittel der Bevölkerung (64 Prozent) keine ausreichende Versorgung mit Sanitärenanlagen. In den afrikanischen Ländern schwankt die Menge der Wohnungen und Häuser mit Sanitäreinrichtungen zwischen 84 Prozent in den städtischen Gebieten und 45 Prozent in den ländlichen Gebieten. Um bis 2015 das Ziel einer flächendeckenden Wasserversorgung zu gewährleisten, müssen in den nächsten 15 Jahren für 210 Millionen (194 in den ländlichen Gebieten) Menschen zusätzliche sanitäre Einrichtungen gebaut werden. Das Ziel dieser Koordinierungsmaßnahme ist der Aufbau einer multilateralen, interdisziplinären Interessengruppe von subsaharischen und europäischen Fachleuten für die nachhaltige Entwicklung von Sanitäranlagen. NETSSAF fördert internationale Zusammenarbeit zwischen Forschungsinstitutionen, Verbänden, Universitäten sowie Gesellschafts- und Regierungsinteressengruppe in einem europäischen und subsaharischen Zusammenhang mit einer speziellen Ausrichtung auf die Westafrikanischen Länder. Eine beständige Plattform für Experten und Forschung im Sanitärsektor und ein Sachverständigennetzwerk werden eingerichtet, um nutzbringende Forschung und strategische Aktivitäten zu koordinieren, zu bestimmen und zu leiten, mit dem Ziel einerseits ein optimales Verfahren, Wissenslücken und Grenzen für das weitere Vorgehen zu bestimmen und andererseits Vorschläge für die Richtung zukünftiger Forschungen zu unterbreiten. Das Ziel des vorgeschlagenen Netzwerkes ist es ein Vielfalt an innovativen, anwendbaren und wiederholbaren Ansätzen für eine nachhaltige Sanitärentwicklung zu liefern, welche preiswerten Technologien mit einem auf der Kommune basierendem Management und den unterschiedlichen in den Regionen Afrikas vorherrschenden Bedingungen verbindet. Das Hauptergebnis wird die Entwicklung eines partizipativen Hygiene-Management-Unterstützungsinstruments für mehrere Benutzer sein, das für die Endbenutzer darauf abgezielt, sie in die Lage zu versetzen groß angelegte Hygienekonzepte und Technologien anzuwenden und sie den unterschiedlichen Bedingungen, die in Afrika vorherrschen, anzupassen.
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