• The event counted with the institutional presence of an exponent of the European Commission – DG Environment
•Interesting synergies were created between different European projects
Brussels, 31 May 2024 – The Partner Event “Water resilience with EU projects”, organised by the Finnova Foundation through the LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 project, in the framework of the EU Green Week, took place yesterday, Thursday 30 May 2024, as an online platform for exchange of experiences and knowledge. The event, which saw a total of 50 attendees connected, concentrated efforts on the promotion of strategies for water management in the face of climate change, with a special focus on innovation and collaboration between different EU-funded projects.
The conference began with the institutional opening by Joachim D’Eugenio, Policy Adviser for Zero Pollution, European Commission – DG Environment, who emphasised the importance of innovation in EU water policy. Adrián Noheda, European project manager at the Finnova Foundation, then went into the financial opportunities offered by the LIFE programme to promote sustainability and environmental projects. Carlos Lafita from Global Omnium and Sandra Jorge from Aguas do Centro Litoral, presented LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 as technical partners of the project, while Lola Bordás, CMO of the Finnova Foundation, highlighted the initiatives and communication actions.
Throughout the event, different projects such as LESS WATT, ULTIMATE, BOOST-IN and GREENLIFE4SEAS were presented by experts such as Cecilia Caretti, Researcher at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence; Dr Isam Sabbah, Associate Professor and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Applied Research, Galilee Society; Rafael Casielles, Chemical Engineer and specialist in international cooperation for development; Dr. Matilda Mali, PhD in Chemistry and Environmental Technology, Dept. of Civil, Environmental, Soil, Building and Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Bari. The speakers presented the progress of their projects and discussed the synergies created to face current environmental challenges. The round table allowed for an enriching debate on the future of innovation in Europe and highlighted the importance of transnational collaboration to maximise the impact of the initiatives presented.
The event concluded by reiterating the EU’s commitment to promoting collaborative and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, highlighting the continued need for collaboration and innovation in the sector.
About LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0
LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 is a pilot demonstration project, funded by LIFE Programme and with a budget of more than 970,000 EUR, which generates biogas in sewage treatment plant digesters by mixing putrescible organic waste (slurry, poultry, organic fractions, MSW, horeca, etc.), thus transforming sewage sludge into green energy through technology. The initiative led by Global Omnium, (Spain), in collaboration with the Finnova Foundation (Belgium) and Águas do Centro Litoral (Portugal) aims to become the most versatile digestion control tool on the market, achieving environmental and economic benefits through the production of biogas by making optimal use of waste. Thanks to this technology, it favours the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of sewage sludge generated in wastewater treatment processes, thus achieving a positive impact on the environment. This programme is easily scalable with other funds such as FEDER, NextGenerationEU or RePowerEU.
About EU Green Week
EU Green Week is an annual event that aims to promote debate and knowledge about environmental policies in Europe. Organized by the European Commission, the week includes a series of conferences, events and activities involving politicians, stakeholders, citizens and organizations interested in sustainability and environmental policies.
Each year, Green Week focuses on a specific environment-related theme. Previous themes have ranged from biodiversity to the circular economy and air quality, among others. This year, the event focuses on stimulating an EU-wide conversation on the present and future of water, with the aim of raising awareness and promoting positive, collaborative solutions.
About FINNOVA Foundation
FINNOVA is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. FINNOVA’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.
