Category: Sem categoria

CBE-JU: Recommendations Published to Boost the Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in Europe

The Circular Bio-Based Europe (CBE-JU) website recently published a set of policy recommendations prepared by its Scientific Committee (SC), coordinated by Helena Vieira (Coordinating Researcher and ERA Chair Holder at CESAM/DAO). These recommendations highlight proposals to strengthen the circular economy and bio-based industries in Europe.

The document, titled “CBE JU Scientific Committee Recommendations”, reflects the concerns of social and natural scientists who are part of this consulting board of  CBE-JU. The text warns of potential policy changes and more restrictive definitions that could hinder European innovation and competitiveness in developing the circular bioeconomy and bio-based industries.

The recommendations can be consulted on the official CBE-JU website or accessed directly via the file link.

Submission to European Institutions

The document has been presented to various relevant European institutions. In December 2024, it was sent to the European Commission (DGRTD), the Bio-Industry Council (BIC), the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). In January 2025, it was submitted to the Directorate-General for the Environment (DG ENV) and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROWTH).

CESAM’s Role in European Public Policies

These recommendations represent a significant milestone for the influence of CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies) scientists in European public policy discussions and development. The document includes a link to the full composition of the SC, available here.

This effort reflects the continuous commitment of scientists to contribute to Europe’s sustainable progress, fostering the transition to a strong and competitive circular economy.

Researchers Felisa Rey, Diana Lopes and Rosário Domingues from CESAM and the UA Department of Chemistry obtained funding from EuroMarine (European Marine Research Network) to organize a foresight workshop on marine lipidomics at the University of Aveiro.

OMALI | Omega MARine LIpids – Enhancing the exploration and analysis of marine-derived lipids for healthy and sustainable diets was one of three proposals funded by EuroMarine in the 2024 competition. This workshop aims to bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts in the field of marine lipids to promote the creation of a collaborative network.

OMALI will explore the various applications of marine lipids in nutrition, focusing on two main areas: human nutrition and animal nutrition. The workshop’s scientific program stands out for its excellence, covering a wide range of topics related to marine lipidomics, from analysis techniques to its technological applications.

The Workshop will take place at the University of Aveiro from the 16th to the 18th of June 2025 and will also involve researchers from other research centers, namely CSIC (Spain) and CIIMAR. Registration will soon be available for professionals in the field of marine lipids as well as young researchers and students.

For more information see the EuroMarine here.

On January 21st, a meeting took place at the University of Aveiro within the scope of the INSECTERA Mobilizing Agenda, where CESAM researchers presented the results of the first entomofertilizer application campaign in old Van Zeller & Co vineyards, located in Valença do Douro. Representatives from the company Ingredient Odyssey (IO), coordinator of the INSECTERA Agenda, Thunder Foods (TF) and Van Zeller & Co (VZ) were present. At this meeting, the results were discussed, and new sampling campaigns were planned that will take place in 2025 and 2026, and which will result in a temporal assessment of the application of entomofertilizer (from Mosca Soldado-Negro) in wine production and in the quality and functionality of soils and vines (90-year-old plants).

In the photo, from left to right: Francisca Van Zeller (VZ), Clarice Souza (IO), Diogo Correia (TF), Francisco Pinto (VZ), Rita Silva (UA), Luís Meneses (VZ), Diogo Cardoso, Susana Loureiro and Rui Morgado (UA).

Rosário Domingues, Associate Professor (CESAM/DQUA) and head of the Lipidomic Lab at University of Aveiro, has been appointed as the new  Division Chair of Lipidomics in the prestigious scientific association Euro Fed Lipid (EFL). (https://eurofedlipid.org/divisions/#division-and-division-chairs)

 EuroFed Lipid (www.eurofedlipid.org) is a leading European federation dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation in the fields of lipids, fats, and oils .EFL  host conferences, workshops, fostering research collaborations, and connecting academia and industry to develop cutting-edge solutions in health, food and nutrition, cosmetics, biofuels.

Euro Fed Lipid continues to shape the future of lipid science and address critical global challenges, while committed with sustainability and global health.

On January 10, 2025, at the ECOMARE Building, located in Gafanha da Nazaré, a workshop was promoted by the RESTORE4Cs project team in collaboration with the A-AAGORA, LIFE Seagrass RIAwild, and REWRITE projects to explore prospective scenarios and assess the direct and indirect benefits of different salt marsh and seagrass restoration strategies. The workshop brought together experts, researchers, and community members interested in the sustainability and environmental recovery of the region.

The workshop featured interactive sessions and collaborative discussions. Among the highlights, the multi-criteria decision analysis and cost-benefit assessment of restoration scenarios for the Baixo Vouga Lagunar captured the participants’ attention, promoting an active exchange of knowledge and ideas.

The event culminated in a mapping session of restoration scenarios for the Ria de Aveiro, providing a detailed view of the impacts and benefits of different restoration approaches. Concluding the day, the importance of cooperation in protecting local ecosystems was reinforced.

The review article “Marine Animal Co-Products—How Improving Their Use as Rich Sources of Health-Promoting Lipids Can Foster Sustainability”, authored by CESAM members João Monteiro, Rosário Domingues and Ricardo Calado, was highlighted by the international publisher MDPI as one of the 10 articles published in 2024 in Marine Drugs with the most views; the article has been viewed more than 5400 times since its publication, in a universe of more than 500 articles published by Marine Drugs in 2024. This publication is a deliverable of the Transversal Project “Co-Products Valorization Platform” within the scope of the Blue Bioeconomy Pact financed by funds from the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Citation: Monteiro, J.P.; Domingues, M.R.; Calado, R. Marine Animal Co-Products—How Improving Their Use as Rich Sources of Health-Promoting Lipids Can Foster Sustainability. Mar. Drugs 2024, 22, 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020073

On 28 December 2024, the DEMO PT team from the CESAM and University of Aveiro was at the Rio Novo do Príncipe school in Cacia to continue the ocean literacy activities of the A-AAGORA project. Researcher Daniel Crespo (CESAM / DBio) presented the profession of Marine Biologist and answered many pertinent questions from the students of the 2nd Cycle of Basic Education, who showed interest and curiosity in the area. After the discussion, the students were able to see some of the equipment used in fieldwork (such as diving equipment, mud walking boots, or sediment and biological material samplers) and the biological samples (invertebrate animals collected in the intertidal areas of estuarine systems – for example bivalves, gastropods, or polychaetes) and understand the day-to-day life in this field of research.

This initiative is part of the A-AAGORA project’s planned activities to raise awareness of the reduction of marine litter and follows on from the art workshop with marine litter and the visit to ECOMARE, organised by the same school previously. 

CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies at the University of Aveiro has been selected as the organisation responsible for executing a strategic project to promote the sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy in Portugal. This project, established through a partnership with the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) under the Action Plan for the Sustainable Bioeconomy (PABS), represents an investment of €150,000, funded by the Environmental Fund. It marks the beginning of a significant collaboration between APA and CESAM, reinforcing the commitment of both institutions to advancing sustainability in Portugal.

The project will be coordinated by Professor Amadeu Soares, Scientific Coordinator of CESAM, and Regina Vilão, Director of the Department of Strategies and Economic Analysis at APA.

The project’s objectives include:

• Consolidating a communication framework that highlights the benefits of the sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy;
• Promoting concrete examples of bio-based products, encouraging the substitution of fossil resources with renewable resources;
• Educating and raising awareness among young audiences through educational materials and specific activities;
• Producing infographics and scientific publications to strengthen the connection between science and society.

The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, emphasised that “this investment is crucial to mobilise all sectors of society, promoting the adoption of sustainable practices that address global challenges and contribute to national and European sustainability goals.”

CESAM reaffirms its commitment to being an active agent in building a sustainable future by researching the environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century. It continues to establish itself as a reference in promoting sustainability and environmental innovation, steadfast in its mission of Caring for the Future.

A groundbreaking collaborative study coordinated by researchers from CE3C (Faculty of Sciences in Lisbon) and CESAM (UA), sheds light on the vulnerabilities faced by migratory birds and the limitations of current conservation efforts. The research co-authored by José Alves, Afonso Rocha (Researchers at CESAM)  and João Belo (PhD student at CESAM) focuses on the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) along its migratory range in the East Atlantic Flyway, emphasizing the critical importance of connectivity between sites for its conservation.

Key Findings:

• The study integrates diverse data sources, including metal-ring recoveries, colour-ring re-sightings, and satellite tracking from over 10,000 individual birds, to build a comprehensive network of sites critical to the species’ survival.
• Colour-ring re-sightings identified 70% of sites and provided 60% and 43% of seasonal links, followed by tracking data and ring recoveries.
• Data gaps were identified in central and eastern regions of Europe and Africa, highlighting uneven geographical coverage.
• Of the 49 most important sites for the Black-tailed Godwit, only 47% are officially recognized as internationally significant, and 20% lack any form of protection. On average, 44% of bird relocations per site occurred within protected areas, showcasing weaknesses in current conservation strategies.

By integrating multiple data sources, the researchers were able to improve the understanding of the site network and quantify the importance of connectivity in the birds’ migratory cycle.

Policy Implications:
The authors emphasize that existing conservation measures, which focus on specific protected areas (often designated based on count data only), often fail to account for the inter-dependence of migratory sites. They advocate for flyway-scale management also informed by individual movement data to identify priority sites and enhance protection of highly mobile species.

This study demonstrates the value of integrating advanced tracking methods to address the challenges of migratory bird conservation. It serves as a call to policymakers and conservationists to adopt more comprehensive, connectivity-focused strategies to ensure the long-term survival of migratory species.

The participation of CESAM researchers in this study demonstrates the pivotal role of CESAM as a center of scientific excellence in the field of migratory bird ecology and conservation and showcases the direct impact of their research on shaping conservation policies.

Article: Site-level connectivity identified from multiple sources of movement data to inform conservation of a migratory bird

Aquariums as Tools for Education and Environmental Awareness at the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo

On January 11, the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo will celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Museum’s Aquarium, a space dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of maritime heritage and environmental education. To mark the occasion, the museum will host the “Aquariums and Blue Citizenship” Conference, an event highlighting the role of aquariums in promoting environmental awareness and raising public consciousness about the vital importance of oceans.

The event will feature three moderators from CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), who will provide insights and lead discussions on the role of aquariums as educational tools and as promoters of sustainability and blue citizenship. The conference aims to engage the public and foster dialogue about the conservation of marine ecosystems and the responsibility of each individual in protecting the oceans.

For more information about the “Aquariums and Blue Citizenship” Conference and the full program, visit the official website of the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo:
➡️ 12th Anniversary of the Codfish Aquarium

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the oceans and everyone’s role in their preservation!