H2020 CSA – BISON: Biodiversity and Infrastructure Synergies and Opportunities for European Transports Networks
Start date: January 1st, 2021
End date: June 30th, 2023
AMPHI is part of a consortium of 39 European members and associated countries, aims to tackle the integration of biodiversity with the development of infrastructure, including roads, railways, waterways, airports, ports, or energy transport networks.
In Europe, the need to make infrastructure more sustainable for biodiversity while ensuring their reliability and efficiency is urgent.
Indeed, Europe needs to adapt its existing infrastructure to new climatic conditions (floods, droughts …), as well as find innovative and sustainable solutions to reduce the impact of invasive species and address the decline of native species and ecosystem fragmentation. Simultaneously, the sharp rise in the development of new transport infrastructure, especially in Eastern Europe, must support economic development while paying particular attention to the local biodiversity, which is often endemic.
Faced with these needs, for the first time the European Union funds a 3 million euros Coordination and Support Action project on the topic of transport and biodiversity issues. As part of the last calls under H2020, the BISON project is timely to set the ground and upscale research on these topics in the next European research framework programme 2021-2027 (HORIZON EUROPE).
OBJECTIVES
To identify research and innovation needs for biodiversity mainstreaming in transport infrastructure.
To detect the methods and materials that can be used by different transport modes to mitigate pressure on biodiversity.
To support European Member States to fulfil their regional and international commitments for sustainable development.
To develop collaboration among European Member States to become political leaders on jointly addressing biodiversity and infrastructure challenges.
To make infrastructure more performant and reliable.
OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT
State-of-the-art on mitigating infrastructure impacts on biodiversity, from collisions to ecosystem fragmentation to pollution.
Strategic Research and Deployment Agenda (SRDA)
- Identify research needs and opportunities for synergy in future R&I.
- Identify opportunities to deploy acquired knowledge on the ground.
Funding optimization for infrastructure R&I.
Public policy coordination and cross-sectoral improvements.
Engagement with key stakeholders and creation of a transnational community of experts.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101006661.