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Objective: This project aims to predict individual disease risk related to the environment, by characterizing the external and internal exposome for common exposures (air and drinking water contaminants) during critical periods of life, including in utero. A large amount of health data is now available from longitudinal cohorts in both children and adults, with detailed information on risk factors, confounders and outcomes, but these are not well linked with environmental exposure data. The exposome concept refers to the totality of environmental exposures from conception onwards, and is a novel approach to studying the role of the environment in human disease. This project will move the field forward by utilising data on individual external exposome (including sensors, smartphones, geo-referencing, satellites), and omic profiles in an agnostic search for new and integrated biomarkers. These tools will be applied in both experimental short-term studies and long-term longitudinal studies in humans. The ultimate goal is to use the new tools in risk assessment and in the estimation of the burden of environmental disease. The involvement of two SMEs, one specialized in sensors and smartphone development, the other in complex data integration, will increase the chances of a successful impact on European Public Health. This multidisciplinary proposal combines: development of a general framework for the systematic measurement of the internal and external exposome in Europe in relation to air and water contamination, as a way to reduce uncertainty in risk assessment and to address the effects of mixtures and complex exposures; evaluation of health outcomes and key physiological changes in short-term studies (including a randomized trial) and life-course studies with a large amount of information on diet, physical activity and anthropometry; evaluation of the burden of disease in the European population, based on state-of-the-art assessment of population exposures.
Objective: The energy demand of a large number of European users could be satisfied with good efficiency by means of micro CHP systems. In this context, countries with Mediterranean climate show two specific features: high (and growing) cooling load and high relative humidity, which requires further energy for decreasing indoor temperatures. The main objective of MITES is the development of an innovating micro scale tri-generation system, equipped with an air desiccant system (a gel-wheel and a liquid-membrane DEC technology will be tested) adapted to the Mediterranean conditions. The prototype will be installed in a building owned by the coordinator (AMG Palermo, local gas utility). Thus its output will be around 30 kWel and 50 kWth. The performance's monitoring should lead to the optimisation of: production costs, energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. Description of the work: The proposed work consists of a set of interconnected activities: - design of the tri-generation architecture; - test of two types (solid and liquid) DEC technologies; - installation of the tri-generation system; - monitoring and evaluation (S and T and economic); - Life Cycle Analysis of the tri-generation system; - a wide market survey to be carried out at European level, together with energy audit of 50 potential users located in Sicily, will give detailed information about the most suitable configuration of the tri-generation system for meeting the market needs. - dissemination of results. Expected Results and Exploitation Plans: The development of MITES Project - to be carried out by a partners' consortium made up of a local gas utility and two research centres - will be completed in three years. S and T results should demonstrate the energy, economic and environmental effectiveness of such a tri-generation system specifically conceived for the Mediterranean conditions. The optimised configuration of the tri-generator combined with the DEC system should be produced at industrial scale and launched at European and Mediterranean level. The database coming from the European market survey could be useful for further actions in CHP filed. Project's outcomes will be disseminated through various deliverables and media (brochure, guidelines and software tool for technical design, final conference, web site). Prime Contractor: Azienda Speciale AMG, Palermo; Palermo/Italy.
The Commission proposal of Groundwater Directive COM(2003)550 developed under Article 17 of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets out criteria for the assessment of the chemical status of groundwater, which is based on existing Community quality standards (nitrates, pesticides and biocides) and on the requirement for Member States to identify pollutants and threshold values that are representative of groundwater bodies found as being at risk, in accordance with the analysis of pressures and impacts carried out under the WFD. In the light of the above, the objectives of BRIDGE are: i) to study and gather scientific outputs which could be used to set out criteria for the assessment of the chemical status of groundwater, ii) to derive a plausible general approach, how to structure relevant criteria appropriately with the aim to set representative groundwater threshold values scientifically sound and defined at national river basin district or groundwater body level, iii) to check the applicability and validity by means of case studies at European scale, iv) to undertake additional research studies to complete the available data, v) and to carry out an environmental impact assessment taking into account the economic and social impacts. The project shall be carried out at European level, involving a range of stakeholders and efficiently linking the scientific and policy-making communities. Considering the requirement of the diary of the Groundwater Daughter Directive proposal, which implies that groundwater pollutants and related threshold values should be identified before December 2005 and listed by June 2006, the duration of the project should be 24 months. In that way the proposed research will contribute to provide research elements that will be indispensable for preparing discussions on further steps of the future Groundwater Directive. Prime Contractor: Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, Service Analyse et Caracterisation Minerale, Paris FR
Objective: In a deregulated EU rail market monitoring of the vehicle and infrastructure interface is mandatory for enhanced availability of operation reducing costs. Especially when a rolling stock is crossing boundaries between independent infrastructure grids, cond ition monitoring becomes crucial. A monitoring tool on OCLs overhead contact lines - for infrastructure managers is needed for an separate measurement of contact force and surface condition of the vehicle current strip. The rolling stock operator needs a complementary device to measure not only the vertical contact force, but moreover the friction force, in order to analyse the vehicle and OCL interface condition. In SMITS a monitoring system for contact force on the interface current collector lt;- gt; c ontact wire has been developed. A sensor technology has been started to explore showing the potential for an extended range of rail monitoring tools. An innovative coherent sensor technology approach shall be investigated and two independent monitoring too ls for vehicle and infrastructure be developed. These shall be validated at new rail tracks specified for TSI interoperable cross boundary transportation: the Ltschberg Basis Tunnel, CH and the HSL Zuid high speed line, NL, both ready for operation in 2007 . Demonstration tests in operation will be performed along the Korridor X infrastructure passing through different countries rail networks. The outcome of the project will enable managers to specify driving conditions for the usage of their infrastructure to avoid excessive wear improving availability. Complementary rolling stock operators can monitor OCL condition giving them an informative argument in case of damage. Condition-dependent user fees as well as threat of penalty will force vehicle and infrast ructure managers to maintain the vehicle and infrastructure interface on a superior level of availability. The operational costs will be reduced and availability of transportation capacity enhanced.
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.
Objective: The ECOWAMA Project proposes a new eco-efficient closed cycle management model for the treatment of effluents of the metal and plastic surface processing industry (STM). Such STM waste water is extensively contaminated with oils and greases, organic loading, a salt fraction and especially with heavy metals (e.g. nickel, copper, zinc and others). Hence STM enterprises have high interest on efficient, cost-effective and sustainable treatment of their effluents. ECOWAMAs approach combines wastewater treatment with recovery of ultrapure water, highly valuable metals and energy. Therefore an environmental friendly, effective and innovative system will be developed including Electrocoagulation, Electrooxidation and Electrowinning technologies. Additionally hydrogen produced during Electrocoagulation/Electrooxidation processes will be used to deal as feed for fuel cells to generate electricity which reduces the energy demand of the whole process. Pre- and post-treatment will be carried out to remove oils/greases and conductivity. The heavy metals will be separated from the waste water stream through an electro-precipitation process. After metal dissolution from precipitation sludge a novel electrowinning process using novel electrodes, optimised geometry and process management will reduce the dissolved metal ions to a solid aggregate state with high purity. The outcome of this is a valuable raw material that can be easily sold or reused for STM operations. Due to the extremely high level of prices for metals at the global market ECOWAMAs participants and post-project clients will have strong economic benefits beside the positive environmental impacts of the process.
Entwicklung, Umsetzung und Evaluierung von Instrumenten für die Analyse von Landschaft und natürlicher Ressourcen im Kontext der Landnutzungspolitik.
Project main goals: The main purpose of this project is to develop an innovative 400 kWth solar reformer for several applications such as Hydrogen production or electricity generation. Depending of the feed source for the reforming process CO2 emissions can be reduced significantly (up to 40 percent using NG), because the needed process heat for this highly endothermic reaction is provided by concentrated solar energy. A pre-design of a 1 MW prototype plant in Southern Italy and a conceptual layout of a commercial 50 MWth reforming plant complete this project. Key issues: The profitability decides if a new technology has a chance to come into the market. Therefore several modifications and improvements to the state-of-the-art solar reformer technology will be introduced before large scale and commercial system can be developed. These changes are primarily to the catalytic system, the reactor optimisation and operation procedures and the associated optics for concentrating the solar radiation. For the dissemination of solar reforming technology the regions targeted are in Southern Europe and Northern Africa. The potential markets and the impact of infrastructure and administrative restrictions will be assessed. The environmental, socio-economic and institutional impacts of solar reforming technology exploitation will be assessed with respect to sustainable development. The market potential of solar reforming technology in a liberalised European energy market will be evaluated. Detailed cost estimates for a 50 MWth commercial plant will be determined.
Objective: Europe needs to transform itself to a low-carbon economy by mid-century. The existing instrument mix needs to be scaled up drastically to initiate the changes needed across the economy. As the scale and scope of instruments increases, their interaction becomes more important, as do constraints on the political, legal and administrative feasibility. To evaluate their efficiency and effectiveness, instruments cannot be viewed in isolation; understanding and managing their interaction becomes key. The CECILIA2050 project analyses the performance of existing climate policy instruments and their interaction, and maps pathways for the evolution of the instrument mix in Europe. It describes ways to improve the economic efficiency and environmental effectiveness of the instrument mix, and to address constraints that limit their performance or feasibility. These include public acceptance, availability of finance and the physical infrastructure, but also the administrative and legal framework. The first, backward-looking part of the project takes stock of the existing instrument mix in the EU and its Member States, and assesses their coherence and past performance. It describes which factors determine their efficiency and effectiveness, and measures their effects on equity, innovation and competitiveness. The second, forward-looking part maps pathways towards a more ambitious policy mix for 2030 and 2050, starting from the current EU climate policy. With economic instruments at the heart of the mix, it describes and models how the instrumentation could evolve, based on scenarios of the magnitude of change required for the low-carbon transformation. To this end, it combines the state of the art modelling tools with qualitative and participatory methods. To complement the EU-level analysis, the effects of EU climate policies are quantified at the global level. To ensure policy relevance and mobilise practitioners knowledge, the project engages with stakeholders in different way.
Objective: The ARCH research project Architecture and roadmap to manage multiple pressures on lagoons aims to develop participative methodologies in collaboration with policy makers, local authorities and stakeholders to manage the multiple problems affecting lagoons (estuarine coastal areas). These areas represent ecosystems that are very vulnerable for climate change, increasing urbanisation and industrialisation. A central feature of ARCH is to provide realistic solutions to manage these pressures and establish a better connection (the arch) between science and policy. This is accomplished by facilitating the transition (i) from segregated disciplinary scientific results to well integrated and usable scientific knowledge, (ii) from government and sectoral policies towards governance and sustainable management; and (iii) from an unaware and uninformed lagoon community towards an involved and well-informed community. ARCH will work with 10 case study lagoons and estuaries having a geographical distribution covering all major seas surrounding Europe. A participatory workshop methodology will be used at the lagoon sites to develop a decision framework to choose strategies, interventions and measures to manage the existing and future problems in the lagoon. This is accomplished using an integrated planning approach, considering ecosystem services to assess the social, economic and ecological state of the lagoon and linking this to spatial planning methodology. The final products of ARCH are roadmaps for implementation of realistic solutions at the lagoon scale, a management guide for coastal managers and policy makers in Europe and the European Lagoon Management Handbook. The project will actively disseminate products and experiences via newsletters, multiplier seminars, a website and specific web-tool for discussion, and a final conference. The legacy beyond the lifetime of the project is ensured by the connection to international networks, like the UNESCO HELP-program.
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