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Starting September 1st 2021, the Technical University of Crete with scientific coordinator Professor Dionysia Kolokotsa, Dean of the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, participates in the EU Horizon 2020 research project «JUST NATURE: Activation of NATURE-based solutions for a JUST low carbon transition».

Project coordinator is the research center ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO (EURAC) with Dr. Sonja Gantioler as scientific coordinator.

The kick-off meeting of JUST NATURE was held on 15 and 16 September 2021. The purpose of the kick-off meeting was to draw the main axes for implementation of the project objectives.

The overall objective of JUST Nature is the activation of nature-based solutions (NbS) by ensuring a just transition to low-carbon cities, based on the principle of the right to ecological space. This in particular refers to the right to clean air and indoor/outdoor thermal comfort for human health and well-being, as well as thriving biodiversity and ecosystems. It also refers to the duty of not constraining the ecological space of others, in particular in relation to the mitigation of climate change and measures required for reducing GHG emissions. JUST Nature will contribute to this vision of shaping low-carbon cities by developing a set of typical Low carbon | High air quality NbS in seven European city practice labs (CiPeLs).

The Technical University of Crete will develop a cyclical indicator framework to monitor and evaluate progress in the CiPeLs. The framework will include urban metabolism, environmental and socio-economic criteria.

The CiPeLs are:
1. Green walls and urban park at the municipal parking building in Chania, Greece
2. Restoration of urban waterway in Szombathely, Hungary
3. Modular and flexible green design elements Munich, Germany
4. Extension of green infrastructure for carbon and pollutants removal in Merano and Bolzano, Italy
5. Extension of urban green infrastructure to reinvigorate vulnerable neighborhoods in the dense city center in Leuven, Belgium
6. Green roofs and walls and redesign of streets in Gzira, Malta 

The city of Chania is represented by KYDON DIMOTIKI Α.Ε., the managing company of the municipal parking.

The project partners are:

• ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO, Italy
• Technical University of Crete, Greece
• Universita ta Malta, Malta
• RWI - LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR WIRTSCHAFTSFORSCHUNG, Germany
• ABUD MERNOKIRODA KFT, Hungary
• E2ARC ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH FOR CITIES, Belgium
• PROSPEX INSTITUTE, Belgium
• IES R&D, Ireland
• INLECOM COMMERCIAL PATHWAYS COMPANYLIMITED BY GUARANTEE, Ireland
• CROWDHELIX LIMITED, Ireland
• STICHTING ISOCARP INSTITUTE CENTER OF URBAN EXCELLENCE, Netherlands
• KYDON DIMOTIKI ANONYMI ETAIREIA EKMETALLEYSI STATHMOU AYTOKINITON, Greece
• LANDESHAUPTSTADT MUENCHEN, Germany
• STAD LEUVEN, Belgium
• COMUNE DI MERANO, Italy
• COMUNE DI BOLZANO, Italy
• GZIRA LOCAL COUNCIL, Malta
• SZOMBATHELY MEGYEI JOGU VAROS ONKORMANYZATA, Hungary