On the 1^st November 2022, CARE-C of The Cyprus Institute with the support of its Advanced Partners: the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) in Mainz, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the University of Helsinki (UHEL), organized the 2nd Annual Online Workshop on Climate and Atmosphere R&I in the EMME.

This one-day online event gathered together the international scientific community in order to discuss the latest innovations and exchange knowhow, on the science of climate change and air pollution, as well as to highlight related challenges, impacts and potential solutions for the EMME region. Also, the workshop provided a great opportunity for networking and enhancing regional collaboration and national capacities for addressing the climate crisis.

Prof Jean Sciare, Director of CARE-C and Coordinator of EMME-CARE gave the introductory speech welcoming all the participants at the workshop. His opening speech followed by 31 oral and 18 VPICO presentations delivered by representatives of Universities, research Institutions and private companies, actively engaged on the topics of air pollution and research innovations related on climate change.

More than 300 participants from 41 different countries, including scientists, researchers, students and industry professionals in the area of research & innovation on climate change and air pollution in the EMME region, registered and participated at the workshop.

Organizers: The workshop is organized by the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (EMME-CARE) project Consortium. The EMME-CARE project established a regional Centre of Excellence (CoE) for climate and atmosphere research in EMME region, the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), at The Cyprus Institute, supported by Advanced Partners: the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) in Mainz, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the University of Helsinki (UHEL).

For more information about the outcomes of the workshop can be found in the link below:

2nd Annual Workshop: Climate and Atmosphere Research & Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East | 1 November 2022 – EMME-CARE (cyi.ac.cy)

On the 4th of October 2022, CARE-C of The Cyprus Institute has successfully hosted the kick-off meeting of the Edu4Climate project in Larnaca, Cyprus. The meeting brought together the partners from 6 universities, municipalities, government departments and tech companies from 6 countries to strengthen climate research, education and innovation in the East Med & Middle East as well as to further discuss about the first steps of the project and actions to be taken towards the achievement of the main objectives of the project for the establishment of a European Higher Education Institutions Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences.

During the project’s four-year duration, Edu4ClimAte will engage its European Partners to strengthen and align their respective Educational and Training programs in Climate and Atmosphere science, establish new impact-oriented Research Infrastructures on decarbonization and atmospheric model prediction, and co-develop innovative environmental products and services with their respective surrounding ecosystems to address climate-relevant challenges across the EMME region.

The project Edu4Climate received funding of €2 million from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme, to lead capacity-building actions in Cyprus and Greece, the strengthening of their Higher Education European networks and their cooperation with a specific focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME).

Andreas Stohl of the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics is part of the Consortium of a new European network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences – Edu4Climate, which is coordinated by the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center of Excellence (CARE-C) of the Cyprus Institute. During its 4-year duration, Edu4Climate will also lead capacity-building actions.

Recognizing the urgent need to address the unfolding climate crisis, twelve Higher Education Institutions from six EU countries join forces on a European Excellence Initiative Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences: Within a 4-year project funded with 2 million Euros by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe coordination & Support Action (CSA) “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme, Edu4Climate will establish a European Higher Education Institutions Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences.

Small-time window to implement solutions

It has been estimated that mankind has a relatively small-time window – if time is left at all! – in which to implement solutions to the challenge of climate change. And air quality and pollution is a problem that is evolving rapidly, too: “There are strong connections between climate change and air pollution – above all, climate forcers and air pollutants often originate from the same sources”, explains Andreas Stohl from the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Vienna.

Climate forcers and air pollutants often originate from the same sources

“Therefore it is logical to combine the goals of limiting climate change and reducing air pollution, which is responsible for about 7 million deaths each year worldwide according to the World Health Organization”, says Stohl, who is head of VINAR, the Vienna Network of Atmospheric Research and now also part of the Edu4Climate Consortium.

During its 4-year duration, Edu4Climate will lead capacity-building actions in several European and widening countries, strengthen the Higher Education European networks and their cooperation with surrounding national ecosystems and foster research & innovation activities to address challenges relating to air pollution and climate change. “This will be done also in support of the EU Green Deal, and with a specific focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East”, explains Stohl.

Global climate change “hotspot”

The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region (EMME), a region within and surrounding the EU, is experiencing rapid population growth, has a complex socio-political landscape and has been recognized as a global climate change “hotspot”. As such, the EMME region holds strategic significance for the success of EU and global climate efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. “It is therefore important to understand both the sources of climate forcers in this region, as well as the processes leading to climate change there, especially also considering extreme events”, adds Stohl.

Edu4ClimAte will engage Advanced European Partners to strengthen the scientific excellence of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from twin islands of sister countries (Greece, Cyprus) with a view to establish a “regional hub of knowledge” in air pollution and climate change research and innovative solutions, engaging their respective surrounding ecosystems from the quadruple helix in addressing societal challenges over the wider EMME.

About the project

• Founding: European Commission’s Horizon Europe Coordination & Support Action (CSA) “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme (under grant agreement no. 101071247)
• Lead: The Cyprus Institute
• PI Univie: Andreas Stohl
• Project title: European Higher Education Institutions Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (Edu4ClimAte)
• Project start date: 1 October 2022
• Project duration: 4 years

The Cyprus Institute’s (CyI) Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) successfully led a strategic proposal for the establishment of a European Higher Education Institutions Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences through the Edu4Climate project.

Edu4Climate received funding of €2 million from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme, to lead capacity-building actions in Cyprus and Greece, the strengthening of their Higher Education European networks and their cooperation with surrounding national ecosystems, on research & innovation activities to address challenges relating to air pollution and climate change in support of the EU Green Deal, with a specific focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME). The EMME is a region within and surrounding the EU, that has been recognized as a global climate change “hotspot”, and as such, it holds strategic significance for the success of EU and global climate efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognizing the urgent need to address the unfolding climate crisis, Edu4Climate will work towards forming a European Universities Alliance that will act as a regional hub to advance scientific knowledge and develop innovative climate solutions.  

To achieve its ambitious objectives, the Edu4Climate Consortium brings together twelve (12) Partners from six (6) EU countries – Cyprus, Greece, France, Austria, Finland and Germany. In addition to CyI’s CARE-C, which is acting as the Coordinator, this includes the following Higher Education Institutions: the University of Crete (Greece), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France), Universität Wien (Austria), the University of Helsinki (Finland) and the University of Bremen (Germany); Public bodies, the Department of Labour Inspection (DLI) of the Cyprus Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, the Municipality of Aglantzia (Cyprus) and the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos (Greece); and SMEs Raymetrics (Greece), ADITESS Ltd (Cyprus) and Altus Ltd (Greece). The Consortium also takes advantage of the scientific regional networks of CARE-C in the EMME region.

Starting in October 2022, and during the project’s four-year duration, Edu4ClimAte will engage its European Partners to strengthen and align their respective Educational and Training programs in Climate and Atmosphere science, establish new impact-oriented Research Infrastructures on decarbonization and atmospheric model prediction, and co-develop innovative environmental products and services with their respective surrounding ecosystems to address climate-relevant challenges across the EMME region. Edu4ClimAte will enhance local, regional, and international clusters led by its consortium to build the foundations for an inclusive European Universities Alliance in Climate & Atmospheric Sciences to support the EU Green Deal ambition and its regional challenges, as well as train and educate the next generation of researchers and innovators to achieve the EU long-term 2050 climate-neutrality objectives.