All consortium partners attended the event, including the MEDSEA Foundation, represented by Manuela Puddu and Francesca Etzi, who have been involved in the project since its early stages. Over the two days, participants presented the main progress achieved both in cross-cutting actions and in the activities developed at the various pilot sites. Much of the discussion focused on how partners intend to continue the work begun and how the results of TransformAr can be integrated into existing adaptation plans or other wetland management tools.
Wetland-Based Climate Solutions in the Gulf of Oristano
In recent years, the MEDSEA Foundation coordinated two specific solutions in the Gulf of Oristano aimed at strengthening the Coastal Contract (a voluntary co-management tool for the Oristano wetlands active since 2021) and implementing innovative technologies in the San Giovanni lagoon. Through the Wetland Observatory, scientific data were produced to support policymakers and private operators in developing policies and interventions that take ecosystem conditions into account and reduce vulnerability.
At the heart of the project was the design and installation of a smart gate connected to sensors monitoring water and air quality, creating an integrated model that combines technology and environmental protection. This solution, which can be replicated in other lagoon contexts, is part of the broader restoration of the Marceddì lagoon, financed with ERDF funds and now underway.
“All the data collected will be made available to the competent public authorities to support more informed decisions in wetland management,” explained project manager Manuela Puddu. “To ensure long-term sustainability, MEDSEA has long been engaged in dialogue with local, provincial and regional institutions on climate adaptation and ecosystem management.”
On the second day, a public meeting was held with representatives from various European Commission offices, including the Adaptation Mission, and several local administrations involved in the project. It was an important opportunity to assess the immediate impacts of the tested solutions, their future potential for the territories, the main challenges to address, the tools needed to strengthen community resilience to climate change, and how the results of Horizon projects are used by the European Commission to guide policies and funding.
For the Oristano pilot site, Milo Pinna, Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Terralba and delegate of Mayor Sandro Pili, took the floor. The municipality hosts the Marceddì lagoon and the San Giovanni lagoon, where the smart sluice gate connected to the environmental sensor network was installed.
Il team di TransformAR nell’incontro finale a Bruxelles
In the picture, at the centre, Milo Pinna
“Adapting to climate change means turning challenges into opportunities: Terralba aims to be a model of resilience for the whole of Sardinia,” said Milo Pinna.
The public event was also an opportunity to present several videos produced during the project to showcase the solutions developed at the various sites.
Here is the video presenting the solution designed and implemented in the Gulf of Oristano:
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