The Centre for Social Studies (CES) of the University of Coimbra (UC) will lead a new European research consortium, which aims to contribute to the adoption of innovative models in the design of socially and ecologically just solutions. The project “TRANS-lighthouses | More than green - Lighthouses of transformative nature-based solutions for inclusive communities” is funded by the European Commission, with an overall budget of approximately 6 million euros, and will run over the next three and a half years (May 2023 - October 2026).
 

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TRANS-lighthouses stems from a network of “lighthouses” – a metaphor for a set of local governance arrangements and instruments - in urban, rural, coastal and forest areas located in 8 EU countries, to test new governance models, approaches and co-creation tools that enhance, in an integrated way, the ecological, social and economic objectives of nature-based solutions.

Focusing on small-scale projects, but with wide projection and impact, according to Isabel Ferreira, TRANS-lighthouses' Principal Investigator, «each lighthouse is composed of living knowledge laboratories, evaluation cases, pilot cases and international associated partners. In these spaces, the interaction of different knowledge, experiences and roles will support the evaluation of ongoing solutions and the testing of new ones, giving priority to citizen perspectives, in dialogue with other actors involved».

The consortium comprises research and innovation centres, political institutions and civil society organisations, with 19 European partners from 10 countries, as well as 9 observers from 7 countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia, including Portugal, Chile, Denmark, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, France, India, the United States, Tanzania, Belgium, Kenya, Italy, Spain, Greece and Sweden.

The CES research team, besides Isabel Ferreira (Principal Researcher) is composed by Beatriz Caitana, Nathalie Nunes and Gonçalo Canto Moniz. Other researchers will join the team and give their contribution during the execution of the project.

The public presentation of TRANS-lighthouses will take place on the island of S. Miguel (Azores), between 21st and 23rd June, in a meeting co-organised with the local partners Kairós - Cooperativa de Incubação de Iniciativas de Economia Solidária and the University of the Azores, with the support of the Municipality of Lagoa. Over three days, the project partners will meet to deepen the development of their work plan, in various aspects and locations.