ACE-EX project provides a multidisciplinary profession, the “Expert at applying Circular Economy processes in agriculture” and tools to guarantee quality of training, recognition, transferability and exploitation. General objectives:- to support the agriculture sector in the transition to a Circular Economy (following “CE”);- to develop an entrepreneurial mind set for the new opportunities coming for the CE applications;- to facilitate the transition to a “green” chemistry using the waste/ surplus coming for agriculture;- to contribute to sectoral compliance with the EU Green Deal standards. Specific objectives:1. To upskill professionals working in the agriculture and industrial sector, specifically production of oil, wine and corn, in the reuse of agricultural production waste/surplus for the production of new business products and/or innovation of business processes by developing an innovative and multidisciplinary curriculum, also through V/R modules. 2. To provide Open Access and flexible training for a certification EQF 4 and 5, accessible virtually from professionals located in at least 9 EU and Extra Eu countries, guaranteeing sustainability of contents, constant update and scalability to an EQF 6 Master. Developing horizontal digital and green skills applicable to other professional sectors.3. To guarantee procedures for the RPL of professionals and link these arrangements with national accreditation authorities.4. To certify experts at applying CE in agriculture by developing professional skills that, on one side, enhance individuals’ employability and, on the other, are highly beneficial for agricultural firms, particularly wine, oil and cereals, since they provide them with the concrete opportunity of applying and benefit from CE practices.ACE-EX involves 20 consortium members from 9 EU and extra Eu countries, representing more than 200.000 agriculture firms Europe Wide, which will be approached during the project

The FairFuture project addresses the pressing need for climate adaptation, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities. The objective is to develop and test inclusive adaptation measures that are tailored to local vulnerabilities, with a particular emphasis on just resilience in order to prevent an exacerbation of existing inequalities. In collaboration with local and regional authorities (LRGs), national governments, and community-led initiatives, FairFuture will integrate climate risk assessments into local plans and policies. The project will operationalise Resilience Action Labs with the objective of co-developing equitable adaptation actions, measuring effectiveness, and promoting a broader understanding of just transformation in climate resilience. The FairFuture project aims to enhance local resilience, well-being and equity, providing a framework for inclusive decision-making and scalable adaptation strategies.

Mediterranean agrosilvopastoral ecosystems (MAEs), such as Dehesa in Spain, Montado in Portugal, Meriagos in Italy, & Valonian oak forests in Greece, provide essential environmental services and influence significantly local communities and their economies. MAEs are expected to be severely affected by climate impacts and extreme conditions such as droughts, high tree mortality and wildfires. Addressing these challenges, requires supporting local communities and authorities with local solutions and transformations towards climate-resilience. This DRYAD proposal supports the Mission Adaptation to Climate Change by developing and implementing real-life, climate-resilient nature-based solutions (NBS) for MAEs. DRYAD combines front-line scientific, technological, social, and business innovations as well as transformative solutions. The proposal will be centered around development, testing and demonstrating NBSs in 5 demonstration regions including Andalusia and Extremadura (ES), Alentejo (PT), Sardinia (IT) and Aetoloakarnania (EL) (5 in Cohesion Fund Regions). The most promising NBSs will be transferred to these 3 replicating regions: Castilla-y-León (ES), Occitanie (FR) and Tuscany (IT). Furthermore, DRYAD will support a multi-level and cross-sectoral integrated and adaptive management governance via development of Decision Support Systems. DRYAD will mobilize regional and local authorities and stakeholders that own the climate challenge, research entities, private/public foundations, companies & citizens and involve them in co-creation, co-implementation, and co-validation processes by means of Living Labs. This will lead to the creation of real, widely re-applicable solutions with long-lasting impacts. The project will provide tools and implementation guidelines to promote sustainable and climate-resilient practices and facilitate regional adaptation plans, contributing to the Nature Restoration Law in terms of resilient nature and climate adaptations.

SMILE CITY provides realistic circular systemic solutions to support the evolution towards a carbon-neutral, environmentally sustainable, toxic-free, circular economy by 2050. The contribution to C02 reduction works on two levels: - an intensive use of recycled materials in replacement of virgin ones, without decreasing the performance of final products; - the use of such products and applications to increase sustainable mobility. The project aims to integrate innovative systemic solutions in up to 100 km of cycling paths and implement 20 e-bike charging stations, developed using different types of recycled urban waste: construction materials, EoL tyres and EoL batteries from Electric Vehicles. The foreseen innovations include the creation of e-bike charging stations made of recycled concrete precast elements and PV panels equally produced with recycled materials, the installation of recycled rubber moulded products for urban furniture such as rubber bollard, lane dividers, and rubberized asphalt, which contributes both to increase sustainability and safety. SMILE CITY will thus assemble the technological state of the art of the different value chains involved to implement circular systemic solutions in 7 different EU and non-EU countries, backing the transition towards a regenerative, inclusive and circular economy at local and regional scale across Europe and therefore boosting interregional and cross-border cooperation. In addition, the project will also increase resource efficiency, reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy and reduce the negative environmental footprint related to current recycling techniques of the considered urban waste value chains. By supporting awareness raising and information spreading, SMILE CITY will engage both citizens and industrial leaders in the green transition towards climate-neutral solutions for Circular Cities, bolstering the market uptake of circular solutions through regional and local actions. Two partners are CCRI members.

United Circles project will demonstrate, with 46 partners across 14 countries + 1 international body, three Industrial-Urban Symbiosis value chains, to upcycle of urban Food Waste, urban Wastewater Solids, and urban Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW). To close urban and industrial water loops to reduce freshwater use in drought prone regions, and integrate energy co-generation technology in upcycling pathways. Made possible by advancing innovative technologies from TRL5 to TRL7 in combined integrated value chains, to enable zero waste cities and a decarbonised Process Industry. The value chains cover collection, sorting, upcycling and production of new upcycled products. To demonstrate how: 1) a demolish building’s C&DW can be transformed into a new 2 storey 3D printed building with upcycled low-carbon cement, cement bonded particle boards, and insulation foam; 2) a waste-water treatment plant can become a resource recovery centre for all materials, water and energy, in an integrated manner. By supplying high quality gas to the local gas grid, by providing upcycled cellulose as industrial feedstock to pulp & paper industries, and by providing clean water and fertilizer for agriculture; 3) food waste in the form of used cooking oil can be upcycled in a first application of 2nd generation biorefinery to create novel fully biodegradable and food waste origin bioplastic products for complete replacement of fossil fuels. The United Circles 3 value chain demonstrators will each be integrated in a Hub 4 Circularity, that will underpin their Industrial-Urban networks governance and evolution, using advanced governance frameworks, feasibility towards financing methodologies, digital tools, social and environmental innovations, and a material and products observatory. The H4C in the proposal will enable business to territory plans, with their regional stakeholder network, that seek to expand the demonstrator integrated technologies to higher TRL levels.