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Project Code [2024-NE-1279]

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Project title

Nature Based Systems Mission for Aquatic Biodiversity Enhancement

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Dublin (UCD)

Lead Applicant

Aura Istrate

Project Abstract

Human activities have significant impacts on the environment, with pollution being a primary driver in the decline of biodiversity and functionality of aquatic ecosystems. Essential human activities, notably in healthcare and agriculture, contribute to pharmaceutical product (PP) pollution, which has been identified as a significant stressor to aquatic biodiversity. In addition, insufficient PP removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) has been repeatedly reported, leading to PP concentrations in water bodies that exceed safe levels and pose a threat to aquatic life, ecosystem health and eventually human wellbeing. Taking the MISSION of safeguarding aquatic biodiversity in urban and rural waters exposed to variable pressure of PP pollution, NBS4AQUAMISSION aims to leverage nature-based systems (NBS) in a combined triad solution of wetlands, innovative materials and bioaugmentation to 1) mitigate PP pollution impacts posed on the aquatic biodiversity, and 2) assess the NBS implementation effects over time and space. Our project spans four diverse European demo sites, chosen for their varied climatic, geographic, demographic, and cultural contexts. Such variation is crucial for tailoring our NBS strategy and ensuring they are effective and reproducible across different environmental and societal settings. This will enable the development of customized NBS adapted to these characteristics and create a blueprint for scalability and replication to other regions and/or countries. We will actively engage the key stakeholders and the public (promoting citizen science) through workshops and volunteer crowdsourcing to reach an understanding between science, policy and societal needs. Ultimately, we will develop effective policy recommendations for the implementation of the proposed NBS and the preservation of the aquatic environment. The outcomes of this transnational and interdisciplinary project will have a wide-ranging impacts on different dimensions: (i) economic benefits (lower energy consumption and cost-saving in quaternary water treatment processes by reducing the concentration of pollutants and creation of green jobs through the proposed NBS); (ii) social impacts (improvement of people's health and well-being); (iii) environmental effects (protection and recovery of biodiversity through the improvement of water quality and ecosystem services); and (iv) political implications (generation of relevant policy recommendations for the protection of the aquatic environment and improvement of water management). Therefore, the project is well aligned with the BIODIVERSA+ call on Theme B: NBS mitigating anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity loss, with our primary focus on reducing PP pollution in aquatic ecosystems; contributing to human wellbeing, by ensuring better water quality and healthy ecosystems (Theme A); and the transformative change of our society, by incorporating participatory model and stakeholders engagement approaches (Theme C).

Grant Approved

€163,642.31

Research Hub

Protecting and Restoring Our Natural Environment

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/04/2025

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/03/2028