LIFE DESERT-ADAPT: a winning partnership to tackle climate impacts

Partnerships are at the heart of any successful LIFE project, and the winner of this year’s LIFE Award for Climate Action is no exception. LIFE DESERT-ADAPT encouraged local residents, farmers and landowners in Mediterranean countries to work together to bring dry, unproductive land back into use by improving soil health and conserving water. 

Faced with the daily reality of climate change including desertification, drought and poor yields, LIFE DESERT-ADAPT promoted more sustainable ways to manage land and protect soil and water such as agroforestry, permaculture and regenerative agriculture.  

‘This is why I love the LIFE programme - it brings us together as a community sharing different languages around a common goal,’ said project Coordinator Simona Castaldi. ‘By the end, citizens were feeling less lonely, were feeling less abandoned and had a different idea of what Europe is. This award is for them, because they really fight every day against all kinds of difficulties.’ 

LIFE DESERT-ADAPT developed and implemented a desert adaptation model (DAM) to improve soil health, boost water retention and make ecosystems more resilient on 9 farms totaling 1 016 ha in Italy, Spain and Portugal. As a result, farmers’ income opportunities are expected to increase, while ecosystem quality has significantly improved, with soil carbon and nutrient retention increased by 50%, erosion risk reduced by 30%, biodiversity increased up to 30%  and 180 extra tonnes of CO2 sequestered per year in the vegetation. DAMs are now being rolled out on another 100 farms covering 10 000 ha. The project has also set up commercial plans to  sell and market the new farm products and supported the partners for promoting the initiative at trade fairs across the region. 

Presenting the award, writer, journalist, science storyteller  and EU Climate Pact Ambassador Sarah Segantin emphasised the importance of collaboration. ‘The only thing that can hold our world together is relationships, both with people and with our planet. Talking climate now means talking about fire, floods, human disasters and threats to livelihoods — but it also means talking about opportunities, about building communities, about changing the roots of our system of relationships between ourselves and with the planet.’ 

Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, also highlighted the importance of successful collaboration. ‘More than anything else, LIFE is a partnership,’ she said. ‘You help us create more resilient ecosystems, innovate  green business models and drive progress towards a clean future. You are the change makers, and we are honoured to be part of that journey.’  

LIFE projects in the Climate Action category support the EU Climate Action Strategy and the European Green Deal.