MARGINUP

CHALLENGE

At present, 60-70% of all soils are unhealthy in Europe as a result of land management practices, pollution, intensive agriculture, urbanisation, and the effects of climate change. Due to this and other biophysical constraints that limit agricultural productivity, almost 30% of the EU 28 region is classified as marginal agricultural land. Left neglected, these lands continue to degrade, in turn leading to more biodiversity loss and ecosystem damage, leaving the land and surrounding ecosystems more vulnerable to climate change impacts, including desertification.

SOLUTION

MarginUp! Is based on the learning from seven use-cases: Five implementations across Europe – in Spain, Greece, Sweden, Germany, and Hungary – as well as use-cases in Argentina and South Africa, together increasing the replication potential of the project’s results. The consortium’s 29 partners will work together to identify best practices for sustainable biomass production and biobased products that safeguard biodiversity and local ecosystems. Each use-case considers the current use and properties of the area

RESULTS

The proposed crops create a sustainable supply of resources to foster the development of the bioeconomy businesses at local and regional levels while providing ecosystem benefits and building resilience to climate change. Through these actions, MarginUp! contributes directly to European climate neutrality goals and policies such as the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Bioeconomy Strategy, and the EU Soil Strategy.