Project-ID
Involved from PEL: Anika Happe, Maren Striebel, Helmut Hillebrand
Funded by: European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 101060072.
Duration: 2023-2027
Website: https://www.actnow-project.eu/
Current Projects 10
ACTNOW: Advancing understanding of Cumulative Impacts on European marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for human wellbeing
With 34 partners (national laboratories, universities, NGOs, and marine management organizations) from all over Europe, ACTNOW aims to equip regulators and decision-makers with specialized knowledge and purposeful tools to address the pressing issue of biodiversity loss in coastal and marine habitats. This loss is driven by the complex interplay of climate change and various local and regional pressures. By gathering the current state of technological and scientific advancements, ACTNOW seeks to support regulators in implementing effective measures for adaptation and mitigation. Applying a systemic Integrated Biodiversity Assessment (IBA) framework, ACTNOW engages in activities such as scenario development, impact assessment of ecosystem processes, understanding cumulative pressures, and the biological mechanisms that lead to the response of organisms and ecosystems to a changing environment. The project also aims to advance monitoring strategies, integrate biodiversity data, and develop technologies and methods to quantify the effects of cumulative anthropogenic perturbations on the sustainability, productivity and resilience of marine ecosystems. Furthermore, ACTNOW prioritizes enhancing awareness and understanding of the connections between marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human health through capacity building, public outreach, and decision-support tools for regulators.