Research Jan Cools

Abstract

The increasing impact of climate change around the world has increased uncertainty about water security, particularly in drought-prone regions. For this reason, nature-based solutions (NBS) are emerging as a new technique to address these challenges and achieve basin adaptation and resilience. However, the use of NBS is still limited due to a lack of information, especially in relation to water security, which undermines investment in their application. Therefore, this project aims to address the challenges of water security in the face of climate change by reducing the knowledge gaps between ecosystem relationships, NBS and water regulation. For this purpose, it proposes the development of an innovative assessment model to evaluate the contribution of NBS to water security and to promote sustainable investments for companies, as well as a support tool for communities that maintain these techniques and for public institutions, in order to be able to generate new water management policies that benefit the water security of all stakeholders at a sustainable level.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Staes Jan
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan
• Fellow: Fernández Velarde Michell Andree

Research team(s)

• Ecosphere

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Cyprus is a hotspot of the climate crisis with the effects being more intense and difficult to cope; to that end, climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region has been an object of extensive research. However, this research did not address to a satisfactory extent the societal aspects of climate change in the EMMENA region that fall under the Sustainable Development (SD) field. Although being very active in relevant research areas of Sustainable Development and in particular, water, renewable energy and oceanography, UCY has not achieved to address the socioeconomic aspects of Sustainable Development research. It is rather positioned in a fragmented fashion in the SD research field by having research teams involved in relevant projects and undertakings but not in a concerted way, thus currently tackling important research topics sporadically and without coherence. This gap is not limited to climate change-related fields but on other aspects of SD such as gender equality, innovation law, science diplomacy and economic development, poverty reduction and income inequalities. The TWIN2SUSTAIN project aims to address this gap in this crucial research area by facilitating a partnership with two advanced partners in the SD field, UNU-MERIT and UANTWERP, in order to advance and consolidate in a multidisciplinary context all related research activities at the University of Cyprus (UCY), with main focus on the socioeconomic aspects of SD. This vision will be realised by applying for a Horizon Europe/Twinning grant, in conjunction and under the aegis of the Research and Innovation Service of UCY and with many different UCY academic departments and research units engaged. By linking UCY with these internationally leading partners in SD, TWIN2SUSTAIN will stimulate research excellence and international visibility of UCY, while improving the networking efficiency and innovation in this growing and very important field

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: De Boeck Gudrun
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan

Research team(s)

• Ecosphere

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The PATTERN project's general objective is to improve practitioners' capacity for decision making on climate and environmental policies, by developing an interactive online platform for the economic appraisal of policies and measures. To reach this general objective, the project will develop an operational integrated economic appraisal approach (WP3 and 4), deliver guidelines to bridge ex-post and exante analyses (WP1), build and demonstrate an effective participatory process to create 5 Theories of Change (WP2), build a European Community of Practice for climate and environmental policymaking (WP6), and create a One-Stop-Shop for all policy and decision makers to access and use the project results easily. PATTERN will thus provide decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public with more realistic and operational ability to systematically assess their policies and their consequences. It will provide a basis for improving (i) methodologies, techniques and models for conducting economic appraisal of climate and environmental policies (ii) the broader policy evaluation framework and practices currently used in European countries and their regions and (iii) tailored analysis and engagement strategies structures for the participation and co-creation with relevant stakeholders and key actors to enhance operational capacities and improve the impact of European policies on climate and environment. Overall, results obtained from in-depth ex-post and ex-ante analysis of the PATTERN's 5 case studies will bring new evidence on the effectiveness of various types of regulatory strategies, instruments and approaches for climate and environmental policies and insights for the design and evaluation of the implementation of major European policies.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Passel Steven
• Co-promoter: Bjornavold Amalie
• Co-promoter: Compernolle Tine
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan
• Co-promoter: Van Schoubroeck Sophie

Research team(s)

• Engineering Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

TURQUOISE therefore aims to co-create and field test a decisionsupport framework to facilitate planning and increase the implementation rate of blue-green adaptation strategies. Specific objectives to achieve the overall objective are: 1. Develop an indicator-based instrument to quantify the water availability and ecohydrological impacts on different scales and under current and future climatic conditions 2. Quantify the hydrological and ecological impact of blue-green measures at 4 pilot sites by combining in-situ monitoring (local scale) and catchment-scale hydro-ecological modelling 3. Quantify the investment needs and cost-effectiveness of combinations of blue-green measures to achieve robustness targets for the 4 pilot cases 4. Co-create and test mechanisms to accelerate the implementation rate of blue-green measures 5. Integrate the developed instruments, knowledge and data into a decision-support framework

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Cools Jan

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Climate change impacts are here and now. The impacts on people, prosperity and planet are already pervasive but unevenly distributed, as stated in the new EU Blueprint strategy (European Commission-EC, 2019). To reduce climate-related risks, the EC and the IPCC agree that transformational adaptation is essential. The TranformAr project aims to develop and demonstrate products and services to launch and accelerate large-scale and disruptive adaptive process for transformational adaptation in vulnerable regions and communities across Europe. The 6 TransformAr lighthouse demonstrators face a common challenge: water-related risks and impacts of climate change. Based on existing successful initiatives, the project will develop, test and demonstrate solutions and pathways, integrated in Innovation Packages, in 6 territories.Transformational pathways, including an integrated risk assessment approach are co-developed by means of 9 Transformational Adaptive Blocks. A set of 22 tested actionable adaptive solutions are tested and demonstrated, ranging from nature-based solutions, innovative technologies, financing, insurance and governance models, awareness and behavioral change solutions. The project team, led by the University of Antwerp, gathers 22 partners from 11 countries and a well-balanced mix of sectoral and adaptation experts (5 RTOs and 1 SME), paired with 6 territories (4 local authorities and 2 charities), 8 additional solutions providers and 1 EU water-related NPO specialized that will support to structure a European Community of practice. Massive resilience increase and acceleration of transformation adaptation will be fostered by clustering various investors, testing bankable solutions, and defining viable (non-)commercial exploitation strategy for the TransformAr solutions, products and services.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Passel Steven
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan

Research team(s)

• Engineering Management

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project support the Federal Government of Belgium with economic aspects, policy measures, policy instruments and policy options regarding biodiversity. In this contest, the economic valuation of ecosystem services can be of importance.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Passel Steven
• Co-promoter: Compernolle Tine
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan
• Co-promoter: Staes Jan
• Co-promoter: Van Schoubroeck Sophie

Research team(s)

• Engineering Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

We live in a world where the impacts of climate change become more recognizable every year. Cities are the most vulnerable areas to these impacts while harboring 80% of all people in Europe. Through the high rate of urbanization, cities get denser and wider, which has the opposite effect on green space and nature. Nevertheless, humans depend for their survival on the services nature provides us. Paradoxically, the areas where 80% of us live, produce close to zero of these ecosystem services. In a response to climate change, human health needs and diminishing biodiversity, the concept of urban green infrastructure was introduced. Investing in permeable surfaces, green roofs, public parks, green walls, urban forests, green alleys and streets, community gardens, urban wetlands, etc. cities will lead to the necessary resilience, improved human wellbeing and at the same time enhanced biodiversity. Nevertheless, we see that cities (small cities in particular) are not inclined to invest in such projects, unless provided subsidies. Since the actual economic value and precise environmental benefit of green infrastructure is not measured, 'grey' infrastructure projects with a clear return-on-investment are still preferred. To overcome this barrier to green infrastructure implementation, we will generate an integrated framework that supports cities to city-fund such investments, without subsidies. Comprising clear multidisciplinary valuation methods, financing schemes and policy advice.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Passel Steven
• Co-promoter: Cools Jan
• Fellow: Van Oijstaeijen Wito

Research team(s)

• Engineering Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project