More than green – Lighthouses of transformative nature-based solutions for inclusive communities

One way to adapt to the impacts of climate change and slow further warming is to work with nature in its capacity to restore and protect ecosystems. Nature-based solutions (NBSs) is an umbrella term that covers different approaches, spanning ecosystem-based management, sustainable forest management and blue-green infrastructure. In this context, the EU-funded TRANS-lighthouses project will gather evidence on material and immaterial results of NBSs. This information will be useful for reframing the elements that compose the complexity of creating social and ecologically just NBSs. TRANS-lighthouses will adopt a non-linear perspective and open up space for the adoption of a fluid and organic position that will allow integration of the diversity of subjects, institutions, knowledge, practices and values.

TRANS-lighthouses aims to gather evidence on material and immaterial results of NBS in order to rethink and reframe the main elements that compose the complexity of creating social and ecologically just NBS. More than a driving process, the collaborative work on planning and making NBS functional might stimulate a more concerted response towards environmental and climate crises, increasing the commitment of different stakeholders and upscaling their own spheres of action. TRANS-lighthouses adopts a non-linear perspective and opens up space for the adoption of a fluid and organic position that is able to integrate the diversity of subjects, institutions, knowledge(s), practices and values. TRANS-lighthouses’ ambition is to become a European reference on socio-political challenges for supporting NBS projects and solutions. The socio-politics dimension will be part of the public agenda for NBS towards SYSTEMIC CHANGE. This ambition will be achieved by assessing the benefits and limitations of NBS co-creation that have already been implemented and designed, tested and disseminated economically and socially fairer guidelines for NBS implementation. For this purpose, the project will conduct a thorough assessment, grounded on a transdisciplinary approach and critical analysis. Constituting a well-oiled network of citizens, local governments, scientific institutions and civil society-based partners which acts across borders, disciplines and sectors, TRANS-lighthouses will lead research on activities aiming to implement socioeconomic and political changes capable of enabling pathways for a socially and ecologically just implementation of NBS. TRANS-lighthouses integrates a network of NBS lighthouses for urban, rural, coastal and forested areas in 10 EU countries and 6 non-EU.

Digital Curation Unit – IMSI, Athena R.C. is a member of the TRANS-Lighthouses project Consortium that is coordinated by CENTRO DE ESTUDOS SOCIAIS from Portugal.

Funded under: HORIZON.2.6 – Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Start date: 1 May 2023

End date: 31 October 2026