How do you feel after a day at the beach? Energised, centred, relaxed? You are not the only one - it seems that any body of water can potentially boost people's well-being. EU-funded researchers are studying the health benefits of blue infrastructure to help planners make informed decisions.
A team of EU-funded researchers from 10 countries has developed new recommendations, models and tools for the sustainable growth of European aquaculture. The project's results will be used to inform decisions about future regulations and licensing.
An EU-funded project is developing in-water and satellite-based digital monitoring systems that can detect threats to Europe's drinking water supplies, improve water management and guard against dangerous water quality.
Fish farming has become an important source of high-quality protein. But aquaculture farmers often suffer high losses. A mobile application developed by an EU-funded project offers farmers much-needed, near-real-time support to increase yields - boosting their sustainability and competitiveness.
An EU-funded project has developed an innovative substructure for wind turbines that dramatically cuts the cost of their installation in deep water. This could help harness wind energy further offshore.
Deserts and other sun-drenched regions are the ideal location for concentrated solar power plants, but where sunlight is abundant water tends to be scarce. EU-funded researchers are solving this conundrum by developing technologies to comprehensively reduce water consumption, enabling CSP plants to play an even bigger role in addressing the world’s energy and climate change challenges.
What do you do with unwanted catch - avoid it, discard it or land it? Discarding it is now banned under the EU's common fisheries policy. Two EU-funded projects explored options and strategies in a bid to support industry with this move towards greater sustainability – such as technology enabling vessels to fish more selectively.
Thawing Arctic coastlines due to climate change will not only affect the people living there, it will also have global ramifications. The EU-funded NUNATARYUK project is analysing the consequences of Arctic permafrost warming to help policymakers and local communities develop adaptation and mitigation strategies.
By applying smarter water-management methods, EU-funded research has helped to ensure that high-quality drinking water continues to flow from our taps, water loss is minimised, and energy use is optimised.
Sun, sea, sand and... jellyfish. Beach holidays have become a risky pursuit as jellyfish populations have exploded in warming seas worldwide in recent years. But thanks to EU-funded researchers, these gelatinous blobs could become a valuable resource - as food, ingredients in medicine and cosmetics, and even as a means to counter pollution.
