In the context of the preparation of a CCS project in Romania, this project aims to develop an innovative environmental monitoring methodology for potential CO2 geological storage projects.
This methodology supports storage operators who must implement monitoring in all phases of the storage project, based on the monitoring plan (mandatory according to Law 114/2013 for the geological storage of CO2 in Romania), resulting from the risk analysis.
The innovative methodology will be based on the implementation of geophysical, geochemical and biological methods of environmental analysis to highlight potential CO2 leakages from the storage reservoir. The project will also demonstrate the feasibility of less-used geophysical methods for monitoring the geological storage of CO2. With the testing of the methodology on natural analogues of the geological storage of CO2 for CO2 geological storage, areas with natural CO2 emissions and natural CO2 reservoirs, the project aims to understand the mechanisms that ensure the integrity of a storage site, as well as the mechanisms for migration of CO2 to the surface.
The results of the project will be integrated into a database developed according to FAIR principles.
The proposed project has as main objectives the management and monitoring of the marine environment in the context of anthropogenic and climatic changes, the area of interest being the north of the Black Sea continental shelf near the maritime border with Ukraine. The northern extremity of the Romanian part of the Black Sea is economically and geo-strategically important, being also the least known area in the maritime area of Romania. The project will provide data of scientific and economic interest, for example – the existence of marine resources (including biological, sedimentological – sands, limestones at various depths), concentrations of heavy minerals, etc, data on existing pollution in the area, as well as genetic changes (based on DNA analysis of marine organisms) under anthropogenic and climatic pressure. Geophysical data will involve deciphering the marine substrate (geomorphology, bathymetry), but also possible buried metal objects, geomorphological changes. The backscattering geophysical method will be used for the first time in Romania (as the main indicator of the physical variability of the upper marine sediments), and the geochemical characteristics of superficial sediments (content in organic matter, calcium carbonate, heavy metals, etc.), the diversity and abundance of benthic organisms will also be studied. The final goal of the project is the good management of the Romanian continental shelf of the Black Sea, meaning that oceanographic maps at 1:50 000 scale will be made – digital maps with many levels of information (layers in format Geographic Information System – GIS). These products represent the cornerstones for the spatial planning of the Romanian Black Sea shelf. Considering that the current Core Project (Program NUCLEU) will last more than 4 years, and the investigated area will be the northern one, the monitoring will also be carried out geo-ecologically. Innovative techniques and methodologies will be used. Finally, a database will be created for the northern part of the Black Sea continental shelf.
Sturgeons represent highly valuable faunistic resources, constituting a significant source of income and employment in the Black Sea basin. However, threats such as water pollution, habitat destruction, illegal harvesting, and trade endanger their survival. Sturgeon populations in major basins have declined by 70% over the past century, particularly in the Danube River and its Delta. The SturNet project aims to protect sturgeon populations and conserve the unique ecosystem of the Black Sea basin. Through collaborative research, data collection, and model development, our habitat conservation efforts will support the sustainable development of the region’s natural resources. The project aims to address these issues by developing a free digital mapping tool that provides information on sturgeon behavior and migration routes.
Among noise sources, maritime traffic is of relevance on animal wellness, although its impact is little known in many European sea-basins. To date, there has been an almost exclusive focus on vertebrates, in which noise involves the mechanoreceptor cells of the ear and can cause hearing impairment or deafness. Homolog cells have been discovered in tunicates, marine invertebrates closely related to vertebrates, thus opening the question on their ability to sense and be affected by noise. Tunicate mechanoreceptors sense sound waves and particle movement and are predictable targets of noise pollution. DeuteroNoise aims to characterize the noise pollution caused by maritime traffic (also using simulations) in selected sites of the North Adriatic Sea, Lagoon of Venice, North Sea, Black Sea, and Barcelona shore, and test its effects on behavior, nervous system and sensory organs, immune system, and resilience in marine invertebrates closely related to vertebrates (deuterostomes): hemichordates, echinoderms, cephalochordates, and tunicates. These animals are common in European seas and cover different levels of the trophic network, from the holoplankton-meroplankton to sessile or sedentary primary consumers. Noise level will be detected on site and simulated in the laboratory. A behavioral, morphological and genetic survey will be conducted on sampled animals living in polluted vs non-polluted areas. Moreover, animals will be exposed to noise in laboratory-controlled conditions to verify its effect on larval, juvenile and adult stages at individual level and over generations. Comparative studies will allow us to: highlight causes of noise pollution in the different basins; determine how species react to it; identify its genetic and morphological signatures; predict sensitivities in closely related animals that cannot easily be studied in laboratory or on-site; predict noise pollution and infer the best practices to reach the Good Environment Status of European basins.
The project aims to respond to modern challenges regarding the loss of biodiversity and habitats, by approaching molecular investigation of the Black Sea environment and its species. Sustain efforts towards harmonization of molecular techniques are made globally in order to halt the loss of biodiversity in agreement with the UE Biodiversity Strategy 2030 desiderates (“to put Europe’s biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030”) and The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/CE), which requires the achievement of Good Environmental Status of biodiversity and habitats. Barcoding and e-DNA techniques rely on genetic markers to identify species unlike the ”classical” approach based on morphological characters.
The project aims to assess the impact of stressors upon the marine ecosystem, and especially the cumulative effect of climate warming and contaminants on the ecosystem services, such as regulation, support and production of Black Sea habitats under the Danube influence. Keeping in mind the risks posed by the pollutants input into the Black Sea and the global warming, the current proposal will contribute at understanding how these risks may affect the Black Sea ecosystem services in the future.
The project meets the current trend of developing blue economy technologies, in accordance with European Union directives regarding prioritizing the implementation of green energy production systems. The EU directives target reducing the overall dependence on conventional energies having a negative impact on ecosystem. In this respect, Black Sea Romanian coast presents a definite potential for both marine and wind dynamics, therefore pointing to major near future investments and development. Currently, there are no specific studies concerning the evaluation of favorable locations and availability for wind/wave farming, hence the novelty of the proposed project.
INEVO pursues to determine the areas of optimal potential as future locations for energy conversion systems from renewable energy sources. Based on geological, morphological, geophysical, oceanographic and climatic data, the project will deepen the already existing geological and morphological studies by collecting and including new data to validate the potential areas of interest. Planning and conducting new acquisitions of geophysical, geological, oceanographic and meteorological data will include the development of an innovative and integrative methodology with significant efficiency of operational costs, benefiting from the optimal use of the EMSO-EUXINUS infrastructure. The integrated data interpretations provided by the project, including geological and morphological thematic maps, as well as oceanographic models for the target areas, will constitute turnkey solutions for future investors.
The project “Applied research in recent deltaic sedimentary structures to highlight/parametrize the accumulations of marine mineral/energy resources” aims to implement the latest technologies of in situ and laboratory investigation, as well as to process the obtained information for the investigation of the marine sediments, in order to develop and diversify the blue economy in Romania.
Until now, no such applied marine research had ever been conducted in Romania. In the European context of stimulating the development of blue economies (in close connection with the marine domain), it is desirable that Romania promote this type of applied research. Applied research through very high-resolution seismo-acoustic methods and geochemical methods is considered, aiming to identify and characterize the deltaic submarine sedimentary bodies, the areas where both mineral and non-conventional energy resources can accumulate. Compared to the classical seismic methods used (in industrial hydrocarbon prospecting), the vertical resolution envisaged is between 0.4 and 3m, compared to 10-15m in the case of classical methods. Considering the high-resolution capacity of the methods that will be used, we appreciate that recent sedimentary structures, of shallow depth and thickness, capable of hosting accumulations of mineral substances (heavy minerals-placers and/or unconventional biogenic methane) will be discovered.
Recently CCS value chain started considering ships for direct injection, not only transport. The CTS project will evaluate the global potential of this technology for facilitating permanent CO2 storage using case studies from offshore on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Baltics, Black Sea and Atlantic coast of Portugal. CTS will study the impact of direct injection from ship on the definition of capture clusters and storage facilities by developing CCS scenarios in four different offshore regions in Europe. The efficiency of the scenarios from the perspective of cost and abated CO2 emissions compared to existing plans and scenarios will be evaluated. One of the project goals is to advance direct ship injection technology further together with NEMO Maritime – the industrial partner developing one of such solutions. Direct ship injection is a flexible and low cost solution that can help accelerate CO2 storage and contribute to reducing emissions already by 2030. CTS aims at improving cost and efficiency along the value chain; developing new markets by better addressing the need of smaller emitters; increasing LCA and TEA knowledge for the value chains in selected areas. By utilizing offshore storage and building trustful communication with stakeholders in selected geographical locations, CTS also aims to contribute to strengthening the acceptance of CCUS technologies.
The main impact of the project is to provide a technology that will allow to decrease costs, reduce conflicts with other marine activities and increase flexibility for early start of CO2 injection in offshore regions, therefore addressing some of the major issues that can hinder the deployment of CCS in Europe on a scale able to deliver required mitigations before 2030.
The project aims to engage new stakeholders in four offshore regions through versatility, flexibility and cost efficiency of direct CO2 injection from ship for permanent storage. The key outcome is design of a full CCUS value chain including direct injection from ship, with engagement of the stakeholders along it. Creation of a full value chain design will promote stakeholder engagement and create a platform for evaluation of the business cases by individual stakeholders by giving them a realistic scenario to adhere to.
The outcomes should help to increase roll-out of the CCS value chains not only through technological advantages of direct ship injection, but also by reducing the threshold for smaller emitters and unlocking offshore storage potential in sites becoming commercial due to lower capex and opex of direct ship injection. Generally, CTS contribution is to map potential emitters, prepare conceptual design of the value chain with a focus on ship design, wells, and storage site.
Although in recent years, due to the growing awareness of the effects of climate change, the annual production of plastic objects has decreased, the amount of microplastics in nature is constantly increasing. This fact is caused by the high amounts of waste already in the natural terrestrial or aquatic environment, as well as by the numerous deposits stored not according to standards, that, by disaggregation and under the influence of the natural factors, are generating micro and nano-plastic particles. The plastic polymers texture itself allows the storage of other toxic pollutants (heavy metals, POPs, PAHs, etc.), the longer these objects remain in nature their concentrations increasing all the more.
The ingestion of microplastics by aquatic and terrestrial species has been indicated as one of the factors that modify the pathology of various organs, changes in the degree of the lipids absorption or the dysfunction of the reproductive system being reported, for example. Although the medical trials on the impact of microplastics on living beings, especially mammals, are at a preliminary stage, there are clear signals that the other types of pollutants stored in the polymer texture are harmful as well.
Given the fact that, in recent years, the presence of microplastics in high quantities in all types of samples – water, sediment and fauna, has been demonstrated, it is considered necessary to have a monitoring project on the variation of macro and microplastic concentrations in the key areas, as well as the monitoring of economically important aquatic species. The project’s first component aims to monitor plastic objects and particles pollution from the key areas of the Romanian coastal and shelf area, the tourism areas, the commercial ports, the marine fish farming, the protected areas within the coastal area of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the area of the bay, as well as other locations where worrying concentrations of waste have been and will be identified.
The second component of the project represents the development and technology of the different methods to identify or collect plastics, depending on their size, from various natural environments. The need to eliminate plastic objects from the aquatic environment is all the more important as these objects have the ability to absorb pollution, and by being ingested by the aquatic life, the pollution is then transferred into the food chain. Among the examples of technologies that will be proposed and developed within this project are devices to collect macro and microplastics from dry beach sediments and CHIRP type sonar to identify the artificial objects accumulated at the substrate level.
The research project, which has immediate applicability, highlights a significant topic in the study and assessment of the quality of the deltaic natural aquatic ecosystem components. Generally, the project’s relevance derives from fundamental principles and concepts related to preserving and conserving natural ecosystems, particularly due to unique ecosystems such as those of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. To prevent the degradation of the Danube Delta’s natural environment – a valuable eco-region, internationally recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance – it is important to promote sustainable measures aimed at protecting fauna and flora, reducing water pollution, combating fish poaching, promoting sustainable fishing practices, supporting nature-based tourism, and developing strategies for mitigating and adapting to unavoidable climate change. The integrative and systematic approach shapes the foundation for achieving the project’s objectives. A rigorous assessment of the current changes occurring in the unique ecosystems of the Danube Delta will be conducted using a multidisciplinary scientific and technical approach, deriving from various domains and fields. The research project database will be augmented with relevant information on real scientific and socio-economic interests that can be used to develop sustainable environmental and socio-economic restoration programs for the Danube Delta region. Several tools and methods will be used for interdisciplinary integration, including hydrological, sedimentological, biological, and geophysical surveys, including applications of geomorphological field mapping and topo-bathymetric measurements. The project outcomes will contribute to sustainable development and conservation strategies for the deltaic area, which is vulnerable to both natural (e.g., climate warming, floods, droughts) and anthropogenic (e.g., pollution, agriculture, uncontrolled conventional tourism) impacts.
Accelerating CCS to achieve significant CO₂ reductions by 2030 requires close integration of technical, economic, social, and environmental disciplines to support decision-making related to permitting, ensuring safe containment, and maintaining compliance during the execution phase of CCS projects. The RamonCO Project aims to further develop and fully apply the modeling/inversion framework developed in DigiMon and to assess societal challenges and requirements, as well as costs, in order to develop risk governance strategies for industry and regulators, incorporating them into decision-support tools.
The project will develop and demonstrate methodologies and tools for compliance assessment and risk-based monitoring on an industrial scale, including the analysis of operational data from sites equipped with relevant monitoring technologies. At the start of the project, we will initially test the inversion framework using synthetic data and then explore the possibility of obtaining suitable real-field data for testing the methodology with industry partners. Furthermore, we will model CO₂ storage sites that are in the planning phase, such as depleted gas fields in the Netherlands. We will also investigate how different perspectives on CO₂ storage across European countries influence risk assessment (for EU CO₂ storage hubs) and how these insights can be used to make informed decisions regarding the monitoring systems.
The EROVMUS project aims to create an established interface for ROV (remotely operated vehicle) pilots, enabling them to easily and efficiently launch the ROV services in missions related to the identification/location of unexploded underwater munitions stranded on the seabed. These include both a multi-operational platform equipped with a series of sensors and software creating solutions. The activities envisaged are related to navigation improvement, the introduction of autonomous identification routines, as well as high-performance image acquisition technologies. The data obtained from multiple sensors will be overlaid to produce an equivalent of the standard primary Heads UP (HUD) display for the pilot, thus reducing the number of displays that is necessary for efficient operation. Furthermore, solutions for implementing virtual reality (VR) technology will be analysed, allowing the use of virtual displays and the combination of images from multiple cameras to create a single large virtual display to improve ammunition identification. The project will develop, test and optimize a range of tools and assess their interoperability with several existing ROV models and brands. This will create a potential product range that could be implemented by other ROV equipment manufacturers.
The project outcome has the potential to both improve the current technical state of the equipment and to create new jobs, thus improving the European competitiveness in the underwater technology sector.
Land-Sea Interface: Let’s Observe Together (LandSeaLot) is a Horizon Europe project that seeks to integrate and enhance existing coastal observation efforts including in situ, satellite, modelling and citizen science to better study the land-sea interface area, where terrestrial and marine habitats meet. LandSeaLot is a four-year Horizon Europe funded project that will apply novel approaches to help achieve the goals of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” and the wider objectives of the EU Green Deal.The 20-partner consortium works to bring together the fragmented land-sea interface area observation communities across various scientific domains to co-design and develop an integrated, optimal, and robust observation of the land-sea interface area.
In LandSeaLot, GeoEcoMar is co-leading Work Package 2, contributing to building a Common Observation Strategy and to the long-term project’s impact and legacy. LandSeaLot Integration Labs are dynamic testing sites for developing and refining a Common Observation Strategy across land-sea interface areas in Europe. They serve as centres to test new methods and technologies, following a community-based approach to a fit-for-purpose observation of river mouths, estuaries and deltas. GeoEcoMar leads the Danube Delta LandSeaLot Integration Lab (LIL) in the framework of Work Package 5. The Danube Delta and coastal area Integration Lab is observing, mapping, analysing and modelling on coastal morphology and sedimentology, as well as plastics and nutrients pollution patterns and hotspots. These observation efforts will provide crucial data to stakeholders and policymakers and support local and regional mitigation.
Observations on board the vessel and in particular measurements in the water column remain core activities in oceanography. In accordance with the Framework Directive on the Marine Environment Strategy, each sea/ocean-opening Community state, including Romania, implements programmes to monitor the physicochemical parameters in the water column thus providing data to support the international hydrographic community.
However, the degree of participation and involvement of the Romanian marine scientific community within the international hydrographic network is relatively limited. Thus, the Euro GO-SHIP project proposes a program aimed at providing services and opportunities such as:
Training in good laboratory practices, access of Romanian researchers to the infrastructures of research organizations/institutes in Europe (European Infrastructure Sharing);
Improving the quality of the provided river data by developing and testing a new method of conservation and analysis of seawater for nutrient determination;
Secondary control of data quality with a view to strengthening the ability to estimate the uncertainty of observations.
This project aims to investigate geological records of the Paratethys and Euxine (Black Sea) megalakes, by using a multidisciplinary approach, which integrates high-resolution biostratigraphy, organic geochemistry and geochemical proxies, combined with geochronology, palaeomagnetism and Ar/Ar dating.
The ALIGN-CCUS project aims to accelerate the transition of current industrial and energy sectors towards a future in which economic activities generate low carbon emissions, with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) playing a key role. ALIGN addresses specific challenges within the CCUS chain for industrial regions in ERA-NET countries, enabling the large-scale and efficient deployment of CCUS by 2025.
The project’s general objective is to enhance the participation of Romanian consortia and organizations in the activities of the pan-European infrastructure DANUBIUS-RI, focusing on integrated studies related to the sustainable use of bioresources in the Danube–Danube Delta–Black Sea system.
By implementing the planned activities, the project will primarily contribute to consolidating Romania’s role within DANUBIUS-RI, while also fostering the development of scientific potential in a region that is unique in Europe and of significant interest to the European scientific community—the Danube Delta, a natural laboratory of European importance.
The DOORS Research and Innovation Action developed an optimised open research support system for the Black Sea to: (1) address human and climate change impacts on its fragile and damaged ecosystems and (2) support real behavioural change across its complex geopolitical and governance landscape for Blue Economy development. In doing so, DOORS provided the ambitious framework to overcome the barriers to the advancement of the Blue Economy agenda. DOORS brought together existing fragmented monitoring efforts, delivered state-of-the art observation capability, engaged stakeholders through participatory approaches and established a harmonized capacity-building framework. These outcomes maximise the benefits to all Black Sea communities to promote business growth, well-informed stakeholders and educated citizens.
The overall objective of DOORS is to make the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the Black Sea operational, support the successful implementation of Blue Economy and contribute to a healthy, productive and resilient Black Sea. To fulfil this, DOORS embed stakeholders’ collaboration at its core and developed three Programmes:
Programme-1 System of Systems (SoS) for the Black Sea, a platform for evidence-based knowledge development that was co-designed with policy makers and covers relevant aspects of the physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the Black Sea. The SoS enables a more holistic approach, reflecting the ecosystems services provided, and provides scientific support to the management of the Black Sea.
Programme-2 Blue Growth Accelerator (BGA), identified sectors and entrepreneurs for innovation, provided professional support to unlock their potential, enhanced the exploitation of knowledge, and facilitated access to investors and constructive exchange between scientists, entrepreneurs and policy makers for sustainable development of Blue Economy sectors.
Programme-3 Knowledge Transfer and Training (KTT), built upon on existing, and developed new collaborations, between the different actors on science and policy to promote a culture of openness, share best practice and knowledge. It built capacity to address impacts by engaging stakeholders from the beginning of the project to develop and sustain mutually beneficial collaboration.
DOORS is underpinned by co-development and co-creation of the research and innovation action with key actors from across the Black Sea thus having built mutual trust and understanding which ensured that stakeholder engagement was highly productive.
Within the framework of the contract, GeoEcoMar had the responsibility to participate as an expert in macrozoobentos in the Joint Black Sea Surveys 2019 of the EMBLAS Plus project, in charge of supervising all aspects of the sampling, analysis and assessment of macrozoobentos. Moreover, the institute was responsible with the processing of macrozoobenthos data collected from all partners involved in EMBLAS Plus, thus contributing to the setting of threshold values for indicators.
The CCI Lakes project consisted of producing and validating key variables for the assessment of the effects of climate change in lakes around the world and is part of the European Space Agency’s initiative to study climate change. These variables were: water temperature and water level, water extent, ice cover and water colour. Variables were obtained through satellite data from the 1990s to the present day and had constituted the most time-extensive databases of this kind. The first sets of variables, obtained within the project, were published in 2020 for a set of over 250 lakes.
The project studied the lagoons, deltas and estuaries, the transitional areas between rivers and seas. Its main objective was to improve and harmonize methods of studing surface waters by using satellite data and in-situ measurements. CERTO investigated water parameters used to assess the quality status of all transitional aquatic environments. The project provided services that could be used by environmental quality monitoring agencies, by those working in the field of environmental policies, by various private companies, as well as by the general public. The main result of the project was a system ready to be implemented in the Copernicus services or in other specific softwares.
The future of the Black Sea is a key priority for the European Union. The Burgas Vision Paper issued in May 2018, under an initiative supported by the European Commission, outlines the key framework to ensure the sustainable development of the Black Sea by 2030. It focusses on the creation of a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) based on the identification of critical research problems. The 2019 “Bucharest Declaration” of the scientific community launched the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the Black Sea. Black Sea CONNECT is a key H2020 Coordination and Support Action (CSA) which addressed the development of scientifically, technically and logistically support for the broader Black Sea Blue Growth Initiative, supported by the European Commission (EC) and composed of country-appointed experts, stakeholders and various national and international organizations.
Black Sea CONNECT was the first project in its own field for Black Sea. The initiative has strengthened connections among Black Sea countries, paving the way for long-term regional cooperation and sustainable growth.
The overall objective of the Black Sea CONNECT was to coordinate the development of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), based on the defined principles in the Burgas Vision Paper, and support the development of the Blue Economy in the Black Sea.
The SRIA and its Implementation Plan will guide stakeholders from academia, funding agencies, industry, policy, and society to address together the fundamental Black Sea challenges, to promote the blue economy and its prosperities of the Black Sea region, to build critical support systems and innovative research infrastructure and to improve education and capacity building.
In December 2013, the EU adopted the work program for the joint implementation strategy (CSI WP) of the MSFD for the period 2014-2018. The joint implementation strategy aims, among other things, to address the shortcomings and drawbacks of the first phase in terms of coherence and comparability of its implementation by Member States within and between the marine regions. The activities highlighted for the Black Sea region were: 1) review of the GES definitions and environmental objectives; 2) development of a joint monitoring program; 3) improvement of common understanding and scientific knowledge on some specific descriptors; 4) development of tools to facilitate the exchange of information, reporting and public participation; 5) development of a coordinated Program of Measures ; 6) improving links with existing and new instruments under other Directives; 7) taking into account the possible role and involvement of the Regional Seas Conventions and EEA.
During a meeting organized by the European Commission to discuss the recommendations in the evaluation reports referred to the Article 12, focused on regional level, Romania and Bulgaria agreed to work together to improve the adequacy and coherence of the implementation of the MSFD. In 2014, the Commission established that continued support would be needed to make significant progress in the Black Sea. Bulgaria and Romania agreed to start by reviewing and developing coherent GES definitions, environmental objectives and identifying common indicators. The two EU countries also agreed to develop coordinated action programs taking into account the work carried out under the supporting project Arcadis contract – phase I and the Bucharest Convention, as well as to take into account joint measures whenever possible.
The purpose of the contract was to support Bulgaria and Romania in developing joint and/or coordinated measures to be taken into account in the development of their national program of measures.
Using a bottom-up approach, the project addressed the local stakeholders engaged in different sectors of the maritime economy across all EU regional seas aiming to gather examples of greening traditional ongoing business or to help start new green ones. This approach included questionnaires and open interviews addressed to industry bodies and associations, port authorities, small and medium-sized enterprises, NGOs, etc. These actions aimed at learning from successful examples, with a view to creating a portfolio of relevant information to replicate the successful examples elsewhere in the EU, as well as to learn from the unsuccessful examples (understanding/knowing the factors that led to their failure). To increase the relevance of the result for MSFD implementation, the identified examples were characterised according to the type of environmental pressure they address – the pressure generated by fishing, presence of marine litter, changes in the hydrographic conditions, pollution (including noise), etc. Based on this information, the project identified the ways in which regional, national and EU policies could enable and support such activities. The main objective was to explore the knowledge and experience of the economic actors involved in order to make the maritime economy greener in a profitable way, either by introducing innovative techniques/ products or by changing the way economic operators operate in different maritime sectors.
Recent research on climate conditions in the Cretaceous entered an exciting, multidisciplinary phase, in which geological, sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical and paleontological approaches were integrated, and a better view of the climate change evolution during the warming intervals was achieved. The project’s theme thus became part of the current research on global warming. The extreme heat of certain Cretaceous intervals represented one of the best examples of “greenhouse” climate conditions in the geological record. The results of multidisciplinary studies (sedimentological, paleontological and geochemical) in the project provided answers to many of the questions in the field and were also related to the current concerns. Due to the complete geological evidence from the Cretaceous stage and their paleontological wealth, the Carpathians in Romania perfectly served as „natural laboratory” for this topic.
Preparing the participation of Romania, as coordinator, in the development of the DANUBIUS-RI distributed pan-European infrastructure through the implementation of the Major Project of Structural Funds for the Romanian component of DANUBIUS-RI (Hub, Data Center and the Danube Delta Supersite).
The development of the Romanian component of DANUBIUS-RI has the following effects: the in-depth study of the processes that influence the evolution of ecosystems in wetlands – river, delta/lagoon, coastal areas and the sea under the influence of rivers; the development of a knowledge-based economy that will support sustainable economic growth in the Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea system, while protecting the biodiversity and the characteristic natural ecosystems; master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral programs in collaboration with universities across Europe; conferences, specialized training courses, workshops, summer schools, etc.; e-learning and ecological educational programs for the local communities;
The project aimed to increase the capacity of GeoEcoMar to participate in the European Union’s Research Framework Programmes (Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe) by setting up a support structure for researchers called “The Support Center for European and International R&D Projects”, without legal personality within the GeoEcoMar’s Project Management and Marketing Office.
The project aimed to increase the environmental research capacity of GeoEcoMar as a public research institution by supporting it in two directions:
– by participating in the European research infrastructures (EMSO) according to the Roadmap approved by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI)
– by upgrading the EMSO-EUXINUS infrastructure – which stands as a national special objective – being included in the 2017-2027 National Roadmap of research infrastructures of Romania and approved by Order of the Minister of Research and Innovation no. 624/03.10.2017.
The project aimed to enforce the research and innovation in the field of Earth Sciences and to increase participation in the European Research by:
– ensuring the visibility and access to interoperable multi-disciplinary data, available at national and international level;
– coordinating and operating a distributed infrastructure capable of providing services, facilitating new research and generating new products based on them;
– developing and implementing modern IT tools to facilitate the standardization, integration and access to large volumes of data.
