Venue: Brussels
Participation in COST Connect Event on “Advancing aClean and Healthy Environment through Research
Ensuring a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is among the most pressing challenges faced by society today. The impacts of environmental degradation, such as biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, and climate
change, pose critical threats not only to ecosystems but also to economic growth, public health, and social equity.
Aris Moustakas (WG3 Leader) and Irene Christoforidi (WG6 Leader) participated on COST Connect Event on “Advancing a Clean and Healthy Environment through Research Collaboration”, on 17 and 18 June 2025 at the COST Association premises in Brussels. The Event provided a multidisciplinary platform where researchers, policymakers, environmental organizations, and industry representatives could identify strategic steps towards a cleaner and healthier environment for more effective coordination at the European level.
Some of the topics that were discussed, and expected to benefit European society, improving quality of life, reducing health risks, and safeguarding the planet for future generations, are:
– How can we effectively facilitate cross-border data sharing to inform environmental policymaking and research?
– Which emerging technologies hold the greatest promise for mitigating pollution and promoting cleaner environments (e.g., AI-driven monitoring, satellite imaging, IoT sensors)?
– How might existing environmental regulations adapt to rapidly changing technologies and new research findings?
– Which funding mechanisms, at both national and EU levels, are most critical to achieving tangible environmental outcomes?
– What are the main knowledge gaps that future research collaborations should prioritize?
– How can COST Actions contribute to those discussions in an impactful way?
By advancing research-driven solutions and fostering stakeholder collaboration, this Event aimed to accelerate the transition toward sustainable ecosystems, fair resource distribution, and long-term resilience to environmental challenges. Its outcomes ultimately contributed to the well-being of European society by enhancing quality of life, lowering health risks, and helping to preserve the planet for future generations.
SMILES in BlueMed meeting at Capraia, Italy
“The event included a wide range of stakeholders including EU, national and regional policy makes, conservation managers, protected areas rangers, NGOs, fishermen and farmers, academics, and environmentally aware citizens. The meeting was unique in the sense that managed to integrate well a very diverse audience through presentation, round table discussions, living lab experience, and hiking. The island of Capraia itself is and feels very isolated without water access other than the rain water, a former agricultural prison island, an virtually no beaches or natural ports, is a great example of sustainability. Salinity plant provides drinking water, water wise agriculture and farming is deployed and fishing is regulated by a high proportion of marine protected areas. Personally I found participants very friendly and approachable and spot on their expertise. I will also always remember the thunderstorm that hit the island resulting in electricity failure and prohibition to exit the outdoors.“
Aristides Moustakas
Venue: Hellenic Mediterranean University, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
SMILES Cost Action participated at the Event “Fascination of Plant Day”
Schedule, Participants, and Activity Overview: https://agro.hmu.gr/imera-mageias-fyton/
Click here for poster