22.09.2020. The European Commission is holding the European Research and Innovation Days from today until 24 September 2020. The conference is the European Commission’s annual flagship event, bringing together policy makers, researchers, entrepreneurs and citizens to discuss and shape the future landscape of research and innovation in Europe. It aims to mobilise all EU citizens and increase general awareness and understanding of the importance of research and innovation in addressing societal challenges.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event of this year will be entirely online and will provide a unique opportunity to discuss how research and innovation will benefit Europe’s future just before the launch in 2021 of Horizon Europe, the next research and innovation programme, and a revitalised European Research Area.
«By creating connections between cutting-edge scientific research and the most urgent challenges of a generation, the European Research and Innovation Days represent a unique opportunity to join the conversation and bring about real change,» according to the official website.
Due to its involvement with the lines of innovation contemplated in the CILIFO project, those discussions and agreements adopted during these days, referring to the HUB 2: The European Green Pact and the HUB 4: for the development and implementation of the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027).
Climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the damage to our soils, oceans and waterways all pose a threat to our very existence. During some sessions of this conference we will analyse how research and innovation can drive the urgent change that we and our planet need, the so-called European Green Deal.
The European Green Deal could be a unique opportunity to implement a green and sustainable economy in Europe, and with that, it would facilitate the mitigation of climate change (one of CILIFO’s objectives) and its effects. It would also provide the framework for a commitment to make these transitions fair and not leave anyone behind. Research and innovation will help accelerate this huge change, which is more than necessary in the current climate, towards a circular economy.
Linked to the Green Deal and as an objective to which it leads, Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is the EU’s largest and most ambitious research and innovation programme to date. It aims to keep the EU at the forefront of global research and innovation for the twin transitions to digital and green. It will develop how investment in research and innovation can help drive Europe’s resilient recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
Horizon Europe’s extensive co-design and co-creation activities have been a great success so far, involving national representatives, members of the European Parliament, researchers, businesses and the general public. The conference will provide continuity to this work, by further shaping strategic planning and action design during interactive sessions on the six programme clusters and other components.
The Policy Conference
The Policy Conference is the core of the European Research and Innovation Days. Innovation in Europe, and specialised centres covering 10 key themes, brings cutting-edge scientific research to concrete global problems. Each centre will have a virtual reception providing information on specific themes of the centre, meeting rooms for discussions and dedicated meetings and a virtual meeting room for policy sessions.
17.09.2020. La Semana Verde Europea (#EUGreenWeek), organizada por la Comisión Europea, se centrará este año en la naturaleza y la biodiversidad. El Ayuntamiento de Vilamarxant (Valencia) está preparando un evento deslocalizado para formar parte de una semana que actuará como un hito en el camino hacia la Conferencia de las Partes (COP 15) del Convenio sobre la Diversidad Biológica.
La Comisión Europea decidió que la conferencia de la Semana Verde de la UE tendrá lugar este año en otoño, del 20 al 22 de octubre, con eventos asociados que se celebrarán entre el 14 de septiembre y el 23 de octubre.
El viernes 25 de septiembre, el municipio de Vilamarxant acogerá el primer evento asociado del Centro Ibérico para la Investigación y Lucha contra Incendios Forestales (CILIFO) – tiene previstas actividades en Sevilla, Cádiz y Córdoba – en el marco de la Semana Verde Europea, siendo -hasta la fecha- el único territorio valenciano que estará presente en la #EUGreenWeek.
La Fundación Finnova forma parte del partenariado público-privado que conforma el Proyecto CILIFO, financiado en un 75% por el Programa de Cooperación Transfronteriza Interreg VA España – Portugal – POCTEP (2014-2020), y será la entidad encargada de acercar dos territorios a priori alejados, pero que tienen muchos retos en común. CILIFO actúa para reforzar y aunar la cooperación, los procedimientos de trabajo y la formación entre los dispositivos de Prevención y Extinción de Incendios Forestales en el área de cooperación de la Eurorregión Alentejo – Algarve – Andalucía y está liderado por la Junta de Andalucía.
El evento planteado para el 25 de septiembre en Vilamarxant trata de un seminario sobre la financiación de la Unión Europea para proyectos innovadores de lucha contra los incendios forestales y protección de la biodiversidad. Además, Vilamarxant se presentará como una antena del CILIFO y de la aceleradora del proyecto, Firefighting Open Innovation Lab-CILIFO. A la jornada (presencial / virtual) asistirán representantes europeos – europarlamentarios y/o funcionarios de la Comisión Europea -, el Concejal de Innovación del ayuntamiento de Vilamarxant, Xavier Jorge Cerdá, emprendedores, start-ups y portavoces de organizaciones como la Generalitat o la Diputación de Valencia.
Ser parte de la Semana Verde de la Unión Europea es una oportunidad para que el Vilamarxant pueda mostrar las iniciativas y logros en su territorio a nivel de prevención y extinción frente posibles emergencias o incendios. Vilamarxant es un municipio muy activo y que trabaja intensamente desde hace unos 15 años en el tema de prevención de incendios, a través de su plan de prevención y emergencias y de su gestión del Paraje Natural Municipal de Les Rodanes o del Parque Natural del Turia. Este plan fue entregado hace 3 años en la Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Comunidad Valenciana y se está a espera de su aprobación por parte de la administración autonómica: “Esto nos ha impedido acceder a la subvención de gestión forestal del municipio, valorada en uno 75.000 €, cantidad que va subiendo conforme pasa el tiempo”, según afirma el concejal de Innovación y Nuevas Tecnologías. Xavier Jorge Cerdá dice además que desde Vilamarxant “estamos buscando alternativas innovadoras que nos permita acceder a fondos económicos, herramientas o experiencias que puedan suplir la falta de la aprobación del Plan de Emergencias de Vilamarxant”. El concejal explica que su función se basa en “continuar trabajando y buscar alternativas, como las que estamos emprendiendo dentro del Proyecto CILIFO, que nos permitan realizar la mejor gestión de nuestros parajes dentro de los recursos de los que un pequeño municipio puede disponer. El retraso en la aprobación de dicho plan está estrangulando a nuestro ayuntamiento y está impidiendo realizar las tareas de mantenimiento adecuadas que eviten una posible emergencia o incendio”.
RETOS EN COMÚN – OBJETIVOS DE DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE (ODS)
El objetivo es afrontar el reto 13 y 15 de los ODS de Naciones Unidas para innovar en la adopción de medidas urgentes para combatir el cambio climático y sus efectos, así como proteger, restablecer y promover el uso sostenible de los ecosistemas terrestres, gestionar sosteniblemente los bosques, luchar contra la desertificación, detener e invertir la degradación de las tierras y detener la pérdida de biodiversidad.
SOBRE LA SEMANA VEREDE EUROPEA (#EUGREENWEEK)
La Semana Verde Europea 2020 está programada sobre el tema de la naturaleza y la biodiversidad. Después de la adopción de una nueva Estrategia de Biodiversidad de la UE para mayo de 2030, la Semana Verde destacará la contribución que la biodiversidad puede hacer a la sociedad y la economía y el papel que puede desempeñar para apoyar y estimular la recuperación en un mundo post-pandémico, generando empleos y crecimiento sostenible. La Semana Verde de la UE examinará cómo las políticas de la UE, como el Acuerdo Verde Europeo, pueden ayudar a proteger y restaurar la naturaleza, dejando espacio para recuperarse y prosperar.
La #EUGreenWeek también actuará como un hito en el camino hacia la Conferencia de las Partes (COP 15) del Convenio sobre la Diversidad Biológica, ahora planificada para 2021, donde los líderes mundiales adoptarán un plan de acción de 10 años para la biodiversidad: un Nuevo acuerdo global para las personas y la naturaleza.
EL PROYECTO CILIFO
El proyecto “Centro Ibérico para la Investigación y Lucha contra Incendios Forestales” (CILIFO) se centra en la lucha contra los incendios forestales y sus consecuencias para la adaptación y mitigación del cambio climático; en un marco de cooperación transfronteriza para la prevención de riesgos y la mejora de la gestión de los recursos naturales de España y Portugal en la zona de la Eurorregión Alentejo – Algarve – Andalucía. CILIFO se enmarca en el Objetivo Temático 5 del Programa POCTEP: Promover la adaptación al cambio climático en todos los sectores; y responde a la prioridad de inversión, respecto al Programa POCTEP, 5B: Fomento de la inversión para abordar los riesgos específicos y la garantía de adaptación frente a las catástrofes y desarrollo de sistemas de gestión de catástrofes.
Con una duración de tres años (2019 a 2021), persigue, a través de los resultados previstos en sus actividades, constituirse como un Centro permanente para el impulso y desarrollo de la formación, la sensibilización, el desarrollo y la innovación, y la cooperación interregional en la lucha contra incendios forestales.
CILIFO se está desarrollando gracias a la colaboración de un partenariado público-privado, liderado por la Junta de Andalucía y compuesto por organismos públicos de investigación, entidades de interés público sin ánimo de lucro, y administraciones públicas; y todos con el objetivo común sobre la lucha contra los incendios forestales.
FUNDACIÓN FINNOVA
FINNOVA (www.finnova.eu) es una fundación europea sin ánimo de lucro, con sede central en Bélgica-Bruselas, y oficinas y antenas en España (Sevilla, Valencia, Tenerife, Madrid y Vitoria), que tiene como finalidad principal la búsqueda de financiación internacional relacionada con la transferencia de nueva tecnología, la modernización, la formación, la innovación para administraciones públicas regionales o locales. Tiene como objetivo fundamental promover la cooperación internacional e interregional a través de redes y eventos, siendo sus principales campos de trabajo el medio ambiente, la energía, el cambio climático, la innovación y la mejora de la calidad de la vida.
Centre d’Emprenedoria i Innovació del Túria (CEI Túria)
El CEI Túria nace para incentivar el emprendimiento y las nuevas tecnologías a nivel regional e internacional. Su objetivo principal es materializar y experimentar nuevas formas de vivir, trabajar, aprender y relacionarse a través del emprendimiento y la innovación. Entre sus principales objetivos, encontramos los siguientes:
Promover la actividad emprendedora, la creación de nuevas empresas y la generación de empleo.
Promover nuevas líneas de actividad empresarial relacionadas con la innovación, las nuevas tecnologías y los sectores emergentes.
Crear una comunidad de emprendedores donde compartan proyectos y experiencias, y establezcan sinergias y alianzas con otras comunidades que permitan el desarrollo de proyectos colaborativos.
Ayudar a las empresas y proyectos a desarrollar su plan de empresa y a buscar financiación pública, privada o de diversos fondos europeos.
Contribuir a la revitalización del tejido productivo en Vilamarxant, la comarca del Camp de Túria y áreas aledañas.
El CEI Túria representa un modelo de innovación abierta en el que emprendedores, creadores, ciudadanos y empresas colaboran para crear riqueza, empleo y conocimiento frente a los desafíos del nuevo ecosistema.
CONTACTO Beatriz Martínez Muñoz Técnica de Proyectos Europeos y Comunicación en la Fundación Finnova beatriz.martinez@finnova.eu
16.096.2020. Today marks 35 years of the signing of the Montreal ConvenciónProtocol, a document which, under the Vienna Convention in 1985, established a coordinated response to the environmental problem of the decline in the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a fragile strip of gas that protects the Earth from the harmful effects of sunlight, thus helping to preserve life on the planet. This stratospheric layer protects The Earth largely from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Thus, «sunlight makes life possible, but the ozone layer makes life as we know it possible,» according to the United Nations website.
In this sense, today’s scientists point to a close relationship between the problems affecting the ozone layer and climate change: therefore, many of the substances that reduce the ozone layer are powerful greenhouse gases. It is well known that forest fires release significant amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, as well as other gases and particles, which precisely promote the greenhouse effect and climate environment.
But in addition, experts point to the existence of a feedback cycle on this problem, as CO2 released by forest fires fuels climate change, which in turn increases the risk of fires itself. Deforestation, climate change and the risk of wildfires are directly related.
Thus, according to its very nature and focused on the fight against forest fires and its consequences for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change; the project «Iberian Center for Forest FireResearch and Control» (CILIFO) joins the commemoration and celebration of the International Day of the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. In addition, CILIFO is part of POCTEP Thematic Goal 5: Promoting adaptation to climate change in all sectors; and responds to investment priority over the POCTEP Programme, 5B: Promoting investment to address specific risks and adapting to disasters and developing disaster management systems.
In this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought with it so many social and economic difficulties, the message of treaties to save the ozone layer from working together and in harmony for the common good resonates more than ever and becomes a fundamental message these days. «The theme of the day, «Ozone for Life,» recalls that ozone is not only crucial for life on Earth, but that we should continue to protect the ozone layer for future generations,» as set out on the website of the United Nations International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
As every summer, the fire does not spare Portugal. Last July, the Portuguese government declared a state of alert for several days due to various uncontrolled forest fires, such as the Oleiros fire where a fireman lost his life during extinguishing tasks.
Portugal is the European Union country most affected by the fire, according to data provided by the European Forest Fire Information System. During the past year, Portugal has been the region with the highest percentage of burnt territory and the fifth in number of hectares destroyed within the European Union.
Information from the European Commission indicates that more than half a million hectares were lost to fire in 2017, making Portugal the leading country in terms of area burned (41%).
Between 1990 and 2017, 40% of the 278 continental municipalities have seen an area equivalent to more than half of their territory burned. The municipalities that have been most affected have been: Cinfães (north) and Mação (centre) as they have lost almost twice their total area.
The Iberian Centre for Research and the Fight against Forest Fires (CILIFO) is contributing to the cooperation between the Euroregion Alentejo – Andalusia – Algarve to prevent fires by trying to improve coordination and action between the regional governments involved.
CONTACT:
Beatriz Martínez Muñoz
European projects and communication technique at the Finnova Foundation
Beatriz.martinez@finnova.eu
13.08.2020. The call for the granting of subsidies to municipalities and autonomous local entities of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, on a competitive basis, for the maintenance of the Local Civil Protection Volunteer Groups has been opened.
Beneficiaries:
The municipalities and autonomous local entities of Andalusia that have groups registered in the Register of Local Civil Protection Volunteer Groups of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia may apply. The group of the applicant municipality or autonomous local entity must be registered in the Register of Local Civil Protection Volunteer Groups of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia at the date of publication of the call for subsidies.
Eligible expenditure:
1.The subscription and payment of the accident and health and civil liability insurance policy.
Training costs for the members of the groupings.
3. The purchase of uniforms for the volunteers and additional minor equipment.
4. Inventory material for the development of action functions in the field of operational support.
5.Inventoryable material for the development of action functions in the field of prevention.
Amount:
The subsidies granted for the maintenance of the Local Civil Protection Volunteer Groups will be financed, in the financial year 2020, with a maximum total amount of 393,862.04 euros.
Organism: D. G. of the Interior, Emergencies and Civil Protection
Application deadline: 26 August 2020
The application may be completed through the access established for this purpose in the Portal of the Junta de Andalucía.
The application forms and other necessary documents can be found at the following link: https://bit.ly/2DLYcZi
12.08.2020. International Youth Day provides an opportunity to celebrate and incorporate the voices, actions and initiatives of young people, and their meaningful, universal and equitable participation.
According to the UN website, the theme of International Youth Day 2020, «Youth Commitment for Global Action», seeks to highlight the ways in which youth participation at local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as to draw lessons on how their representation and participation in formal institutional policy can be significantly improved.
The Iberian Centre for Research and Fight against Forest Fires (CILIFO) is aligning itself with this international day by being part of the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) programme, which offers young volunteers between 18 and 30 years old the opportunity to volunteer in cross-border, transnational or interregional programmes and related projects.
IVY is part of the European Solidarity Body Initiative launched by the European Commission and is a programme that allows internships to be carried out within an approved Interreg project partnership. In this line, CILIFO is 75% funded by the Interreg VA Spain – Portugal – POCTEP (2014-2020) Cross-border Cooperation Programme. CILIFO’s dimension with the training of young people is of high social importance for a challenge: labour insertion.
03.08.2020. Preventing and fighting extreme forest fires by integrating and demonstrating innovative means.
Combating climate change and making Europe climate neutral by 2050 is one of the main priorities of the European Commission. This is why this call for the European Green Deal will mobilise research and innovation to promote a fair and sustainable social transition with the aim of ‘leaving no one behind’.
It will support: pilot applications, demonstration projects and innovative products; innovation for better governance of the green and digital transition; and social and value chain innovation.
The call contains 11 areas.
Eight thematic areas reflecting the key workflows of the European Green Deal. The themes target specific high-impact technological and social innovations that can help to advance the sustainable transition relatively quickly.
Three horizontal areas (knowledge strengthening, citizens’ empowerment and international cooperation) covering all eight thematic areas and offering a longer term perspective for achieving the transformations set out in the European Green Deal.
Area 1: INCREASING CLIMATE AMBITION AND THE IMPACT OF GREEN DEAL WITH CROSS-CUTTING SOLUTIONS
Preventing and fighting extreme forest fires by integrating and demonstrating innovative means
Objective: to reduce the incidence and extent of forest fires and increase the capacity to predict and manage environmental disasters by accelerating R&D, integrating, adapting and demonstrating holistic solutions ready for scaling up and deployment at local, regional, national, EU and international levels.
Proposed activities:
Environmental, climate and socio-economic research, forecasting and strategy (e.g. biomass).
Research, innovation and pre-deployment of improved ground and airborne systems and techniques and capabilities (physical and digital) to prevent, predict, control, extinguish and recover.
Proactive governance, large-scale and community-based risk assessments, education/training, preparedness and adaptation.
30.07.2020. The President of the Andalusian Government, Juanma Moreno, promotes the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve Andalucía in the Acebrón de Doñana Palace by showing a ‘Plan_INFOCA’ prepared and equipped with advanced technology to fight fires 3.0.
During the event, held on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, demonstrations of the Systems Applied to Forest Fire Emergency Management in the framework of the CILIFO Project were carried out. Recently, the Infocus Device has implemented a system for locating terrestrial means based on satellite communications.
The systems for obtaining operational information using Drones were also shown. INFOCA, for several years, has implemented the use of unmanned aircraft (RPAS or Drones) to obtain information about the state of the fires during the night period.
The event was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Carmen Crespo, the president of the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development (CCDR) of the Algarve, Francisco Serra, the president of the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of Alentejo, Joaquin Roberto Pereira Grilo and representing the Agency, the Managing Director, Javier De Torre Mandri and several colleagues as Amador Moreno Robles, Francisco Senra Rivero and a group of forest firefighters from Hinojos and Almonte belonging to the base of cabezudos.
30.07.2020. Cross-border cooperation enables common challenges identified jointly between border regions to be tackled and aims to develop the potential for integrated growth in a European context, while at the same time deepening mutual understanding between citizens and their institutions on both sides of the border.
Recently, the regulatory bases for the granting of subsidies, on a non-competitive basis, aimed at promoting cross-border cooperation in the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía have been published.
Call: Order of 13 July 2020, approving the regulatory bases for the granting of subsidies, under a non-competitive regime, aimed at promoting cross-border cooperation in the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia
Organism responsible: Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administrations and the Interior of the Junta de Andalucía
ABOUT THE CALL
Applicants:
Local entities.
Universities.
Public or private non-profit institutions and entities and European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation.
Requirements:
Be legally constituted and registered, if applicable, in the corresponding public register.
Be located, have their headquarters or registered office in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
Have sufficient financial resources, from their own or external sources, to cover the amount not subsidised by this Regional Ministry.
Have sufficient technical and administrative capacity to carry out the project or activity for which the subsidy is requested.
27.07.2020. The EU Green Week 2020 conference will take place at “The Square” Convention Centre in Brussels from 20-22 October 2020, focusing this year on biodiversity and nature, and green recovery.
Following the adoption of a new EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 in May, Green Week will highlight the contribution that biodiversity can make to society and the economy, and the role it can play in supporting and stimulating recovery in a post-pandemic world, bringing jobs and sustainable growth. The new strategy shows how recovery is an opportunity for a new beginning, knowing that transformative change is possible. It is an opportunity to rethink our relationship with nature, to change the activities that are driving biodiversity loss and the wider ecological crisis, and to weigh the consequences for our economy and society. EU Green Week will examine how EU policies, such as the European Green Deal, can help protect and restore nature, leaving space for it to recover and thrive.
Registration link to the conference (Brussels): https://bit.ly/3ggKk7H Please note that places for these sessions are limited and there is no guarantee of a place. Access to the rooms will be available 15 minutes before the start of each session and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The link for the virtual event will be provided shortly.
PARTNER EVENTS EU GREEN WEEK 2020
In addition to the EU Green Week conference, you can register for associated events, which will take place between 14 September and 23 October 2020. Partner events can be organized as new initiatives or as part of existing planned events.
If you are planning an event between 14 September and 23 October 2020, or if you would like to organize one, please contact the Finnova Foundation and we will help you. Any type of event is eligible, whether it is a workshop, guided tour, exhibition, fair, open day or an online event, etc. The only requirement is that it must be relevant to the EU’s Green Week 2020 theme.
Registration deadline: 31 July 2020
The Iberian Centre for Research and Fight against Forest Fires (CILIFO) will be part of the EU Green Week, through the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with the University of Cordoba, the University of Cadiz (beneficiaries of the CILIFO project), GoHub and the city of Villamarxant (Valencia). These are the events approved by the European Commission within the framework of European Green Week 2020.
1. Villamarxant, Valencia, Spain (Friday, 25th September 2020). PROJECT CILIFO – SEMINAR ON EU FUNDING FOR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS FOR FOREST FIREFIGHTING AND BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION. Vilamarxant as an antenna of the CILIFO project (Firefighting Open Innovation Lab) and presentation of the 2nd edition of the Firefighting Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) 2020.
2. Seville, Spain (Monday, 28 September 2020): CILIFO PROJECT. SEMINAR (I) ON COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SOURCES FOR PROJECTS WITH INNOVATIVE WATER SOLUTIONS FOR PREVENTION AND EXTINCTION OF FOREST FIRES; AND PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY.
3. Cadiz, Spain (Monday, 19 October 2020): CILIFO PROJECT. SEMINAR (II) ON COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SOURCES FOR PROJECTS WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR PREVENTION AND EXTINCTION OF FOREST FIRES; AND PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY.
4. Córdoba, Spain (Wednesday, 21 October 2020): CILIFO PROJECT. SEMINAR (III) ON COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SOURCES FOR PROJECTS WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR PREVENTION AND EXTINCTION OF FOREST FIRES; AND PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY.
For more information, please contact the Finnova Foundation (beatriz.martinez@finnova.eu / jrequena@finnova.eu) or visit the EU Green Week 2020 website: www.eugreenweek.eu
