SEACURE

Descripció del projecte

The SEACURE project, led by the BETA Technology Centre of the UVic-UCC and funded by the Horizon Europe programme, addresses nutrient pollution  (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the soil-river-sea system of the Mediterranean. This problem, caused by the excess of agricultural fertilisers and wastewater treatment plant effluents, contributes to the eutrophication of water bodies, causing algae blooms, lack of oxygen and damage to aquatic ecosystems.

With 25 partners from various countries, the project has pilot areas in Spain (Mar Menor and Central Catalonia), Italy (Po Delta and Esino River) and Greece (Axios River Delta), and is based on a systemic approach based on three strategies: pollution prevention, reduction and remediation.

What does the project consist of?

The project will combine good practices in land management, especially in agriculture, to reduce the use of fertilisers and minimise the migration of nutrients to aquatic ecosystems; Improvement of wastewater treatment, integrating innovative solutions to remove nutrients before they reach rivers and seas; Ecological restoration strategies, using nature-based solutions to recover degraded ecosystems.

Expected impact

Seacure will reduce soil pollution and improve its structure, minimize fertilizer use and nutrient losses, prevent and reverse nutrient pollution in rivers and marine ecosystems, and enhance knowledge transfer and replication of these solutions in other regions through technical assistance and cascade financing.

SEACURE is aligned with the strategy of the European missions for adaptation to climate change and ocean restoration.