| Project Detail |
A blueprint for sustainably reviving Europes lakes
At the heart of Europe’s freshwater ecosystems lies a pressing challenge: restoring the ecological and chemical health of its lakes. In this context, the EU-funded FutureLakes project aims to revolutionise lake restoration and management. To rejuvenate six major European lakes, the project will pioneer the use of nature-based, circular blue economy, and biodiversity-focused solutions. This endeavour aims to restore biodiversity and improve water quality, as well as strengthen societal resilience against climate change. At its core, FutureLakes seeks to create a blueprint for effective lake management, bolstered by public engagement and establishing a blue economy. By scaling up these strategies across Europe, FutureLakes charts a course towards the sustainable use of freshwater, aligning closely with the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters.
The overarching objective of FutureLakes is to demonstrate innovative solutions needed to transform lake restoration, integrated into lake management. These aim to significantly improve ecological and chemical status of European lakes, restore biodiversity, recover valuable resources, enhance the services that lakes provide and make society more resilient to climate change. FutureLakes aims to deliver this through an integrated framework for lake protection and restoration that demonstrates a range of technical solutions that include innovations in Nature-based Solutions, Circular Blue Economy Solutions and Biodiversity-focused Solutions. Demonstrating integration of these solutions in operational lake management in six large European lakes (Demo Basins) which will deliver a Blueprint for lake protection and restoration. The FutureLakes Blueprint will incorporate a catalogue of innovations and guidance on the enabling environment needed to turn promising technical innovations from niche measures to become mainstream approaches in lake basin management planning. This includes demonstrating more effective and inclusive collaboration in water governance and showcasing innovations in policy implementation and green financing. FutureLakes will also develop a Roadmap for Upscaling European Lake Restoration in support of the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters deployment and upscaling phase. Upscaling of measures across Europe will be tested through activities aimed at replicating the FutureLakes approach in three associated regions. FutureLakes will not only contribute to delivering to the three objectives of the Mission (to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity; to reduce pollution; and to build a sustainable carbon-neutral and circular blue economy) but it includes specific objectives to develop the Mission’s two enablers: creating a European Lakes Digital Innovation Hub and demonstrating innovative approaches to enhancing public engagement. |
