Project Summary

The overall objective of THEMATIC2 GREEN is that of promoting innovation capacity for green development based on cultural and natural resources, tackling emerging environmental and social challenges. The main outputs will be produced by parallel actions in 3 main directions, all needed and interdependent to ensure a significant impact at territorial level: - Enhancing entrepreneurial capacity to secure environmental sustainability of local systems -Promoting capacity of public and private bodies to identify threats and local impacts of climate change, and the adaptation strategies that can preserve economic development and social sustainability of the green transition. -Promoting development of renewable energies production, distribution and consumption. In these 3 Themes the project will produce pilot actions and joint solutions, a joint strategy for renewable energy communities development, a permanent cooperation network. Project targets and final beneficiaries are the territories in the ADRION macro region, in coastal and mountainous areas, with some common structural features: Rich of natural resources and diverse cultural heritage A small population largely dispersed in rural villages Economic systems with a relevant share of agriculture and tourism, based on micro companies. A significant vulnerability to climate change impacts, increasing sea level, coastal erosion, extreme meteorological events. The partnership of THEMATIC2GREEN includes Higher education bodies, business support agencies, local administrations, development agencies, from all over the ADRION regions, generating synergies and complementarities that will be capitalized in a permanent cooperation network that will look far beyond the project time horizon. THEMATIC2GREEN innovative approach will be based on a quadruple helix model, moving in parallel on three main directions for the green transition: environmental quality promotion and certification of economic activities, efficient renewable energy production and consumption, adaptation to climate change impact of vulnerable economic activities. The outputs will include pilot actions in each of these directions, joint solutions, and a Joint Strategy In the next years, SMEs, public institutions, NGO, in coastal areas, in mountain territories, in historical towns of lagging behind regions, will face some common gigantic challenges. • Preventing or reducing natural resources and historical heritage degradation while ensuring sustainable development and the creation of jobs and income opportunities in marginal territories. The challenge for these communities is that of improving environmental sustainability in parallel to social sustainability. • Reducing the use of energy based on fossil fuels, at the same time increasing efficiency and environmental sustainability of renewable energy production and distribution. This theme is specially complex in the marginal areas rich of natural and cultural heritage and a low population density. In these territories the production of energy from renewable resources is specially challenging because of the costs of production and distribution, and the environmental impact are relevant also for renewable sources. e.g., the environmental impact on landscape of wind mills and solar-energy, the impact on air quality and agricultural land of energy power centrals based on biomass, the impact on landscape of distribution grids. • Adapting to climate change and mitigating its impacts on economic and social activities in these areas. Cultural services, cultural and, naturalistic tourism, agricultural non food productions, other services to consumers, will be forced to adapt to the climate changes processes already observable, or expected in the short and medium period. SMEs, public and private services providers, and the same consumers, will need to adjust production processes and product innovation to mitigate the impact of climate change. Many opportunities are emerging in this scenario, starting from the inclusion of the communities of these areas, in the European strategy for a green future. (EU Green deal), and the Macroregional strategy for sustainable development EUSAIR. THEMATIC2GREEN will aim at these opportunities with an original vision and innovative approach.