The need for the implementation of innovative governance of water resources in general and coastal aquifers in particular taking into account the technological development as well as socio-economic factors has become a worldwide necessity. In compliance with the challenges and scope of the PRIMA call topic 1.1.2 entitled “Sustainable, integrated water management”, Sustain-COAST main goal is to implement a new innovative governance approach of coastal aquifers between multiple water users and beneficiaries under severe changing climate conditions in 4 countries located in the both sides of the Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Tunisia, Italy and Turkey). For this aim, this project intends to establish an adapted multi-criteria decision supporting system (DSS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) platform with an online access for water stakeholders and policy makers. This DSS and platform will be based on: i) an active and continuous social participation and learning, ii) the use of advanced technologies and tools, such as optical sensors and remote sensing capacities, iii) the use of various available numerical models (Feflow and Modflow) for the prediction of these coastal aquifers quantity and quality progress in time and iv) the use of smart, adapted and visualized web applications. On the other hand, this project will permit the preservation of the studied coastal aquifers against anthropogenic pollution through the promotion of the local water management concept which is based on the 4R principles (Reduce; Recycle; Reuse and Recover). The main outcomes of this project will be communicated and disseminated by using the best practices and means for the highest profit of all the concerned actors. Thanks to this project, Mediterranean coastal groundwater will be managed in harmony and enthusiasm under the responsibility of all the concerned actors taking into account the local socio-economic context and the meteo-climatic trends.

NIAGARA compiles all the necessary approaches to provide a comprehensive response to the phenomenon of spread of pollution (chemical, microbiological and plastic) from drinking water sources to human exposure, through the Driking Water Treatment Plants. These approaches and their solutions are: (1) Real-time monitoring. NIAGARA will develop multi-analyte biosensors able to quantify simultaneously 4 highly concerning pollutants of very different chemical nature: BPA, imazalil, H. pylori and paracetamol/ibuprofen. Using pre-concentration units, detection limits will reach pg/mL for chemicals and 10-100 viable cells for H. pylori, which are below harmful levels for human exposure. (2) Remediation. A removal and disinfection system based on a tandem formed by two IEDS biofilters (immobilized-enzymes degradation systems) and a UV/TiO2 photoreactor. With this solution, we will achieve total removal of the 4 analytes (concentrations below detection limits of water laboratory techniques) and a Total Organic Carbon removal of >70%, exceeding current State of Art. The DBPs formed will be identified, and their appearance mechanisms and toxicity will be predicted. (3) A fast and cost-effective method for real-time monitoring of the propagation of these 4 contaminants using a hydraulic model that exceeds the performance of current methods (seconds vs weeks, > 60% accuracy). These solutions will be validated up to a pilot scale (TRL=5) in a case study in the city of Valencia, in a DWTP, and using the drinking water supply system of district #9 (Jesús), with the participation of the Municipal Drinking Water Company, and accomplishing safety and sustainability-by-design. Finally, the Communication and Exploitation plan has been specially designed to have an clear projection ouside EU to enhance its competitiveness in the water sector and to foster its position and role in the global water scene, with the participation of previously established EU and non-EU networks.

The overarching objective of FutureLakes is to demonstrate innovative solutions needed to transform lake restoration, integrated into lake management. These aim to significantly improve ecological and chemical status of European lakes, restore biodiversity, recover valuable resources, enhance the services that lakes provide and make society more resilient to climate change. FutureLakes aims to deliver this through an integrated framework for lake protection and restoration that demonstrates a range of technical solutions that include innovations in Nature-based Solutions, Circular Blue Economy Solutions and Biodiversity-focused Solutions. Demonstrating integration of these solutions in operational lake management in six large European lakes (Demo Basins) which will deliver a Blueprint for lake protection and restoration. The FutureLakes Blueprint will incorporate a catalogue of innovations and guidance on the enabling environment needed to turn promising technical innovations from niche measures to become mainstream approaches in lake basin management planning. This includes demonstrating more effective and inclusive collaboration in water governance and showcasing innovations in policy implementation and green financing. FutureLakes will also develop a Roadmap for Upscaling European Lake Restoration in support of the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters deployment and upscaling phase. Upscaling of measures across Europe will be tested through activities aimed at replicating the FutureLakes approach in three associated regions. FutureLakes will not only contribute to delivering to the three objectives of the Mission (to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity; to reduce pollution; and to build a sustainable carbon-neutral and circular blue economy) but it includes specific objectives to develop the Mission’s two enablers: creating a European Lakes Digital Innovation Hub and demonstrating innovative approaches to enhancing public engagement.

CRONUS aims to accelerate on the path to sustainable bioenergy and play an important and constructive role in achieving the UN SDGs by incorporating in the biofuels value chain carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CUS) techniques promoting the decarbonisation of the EU economy in accordance to European Green Deal goals. A wide spectrum of biogenic gases CUS technologies (enzymatic capture of CO2, autotrophic algae cultivation, biological CO2 hydrogenation, syngas biomethanation, in-situ biomethanation, biogenic carbon storage by biochar production and soil application) will be validated in lab-scale (TRL4). The proposed technologies will be upscaled to 5 functional prototypes that will operate in relevant environments of biofuels production plants (TRL5). Evaluation of the technical, economic, environmental and social sustainability of the project solutions and services will be performed by exploitation of the latest up-to-date tools, with special emphasis on the sustainability and circularity of the project. A roadmap to market the technologies and services with a strategy to address market segmentation, penetration barriers and opportunities will be drawn. Public and scientific awareness of the project will be raised and all relevant stakeholders will be actively involved in the co-design, co-development and co-implementation of the possible pathways for biogenic effluent gases capture and utilization within the biofuels value chain. CRONUS’ impactful exploitation plan will facilitate the strategic planning of net-negative biofuel production supply chains considering the integration of CRONUS technologies and the results of the sustainability assessment, emphasizing the CO2 footprint, cost-efficiency, and scalability.