The journey to a more climate-resilient Europe has begun with the official launch of LandShift, a Horizon Europe-funded project dedicated to transforming land-use management across Europe. With a duration of 36 months and a total budget of approximately €6 million, LandShift aims to support climate neutrality in the land-use sector by 2035 through innovative, evidence- based strategies that promote balanced trade-offs in land use among objectives such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, food and biomass production, and biodiversity protection (HORIZON-CL6-2024-CLIMATE-01).
Background
The alarming decline in net removals within the LULUCF (Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry) sector presents a significant challenge to advancing climate mitigation efforts.
However, the sector offers considerable untapped potential for driving climate action through integrated strategies. By harnessing the diverse dimensions of land use and management, co- created solutions can be developed to enhance carbon sequestration and strengthen ecosystem resilience. To address these challenges, LandShift introduces a comprehensive framework aimed at supporting the co-development of regional strategic roadmaps that effectively balance socio- economic and environmental objectives. Through a synergistic and cohesive approach, LandShift aligns with all relative European Union key policies, such as the European Green Deal and New European Bauhaus (NEB), working to achieve climate neutrality and assist in the EU’s goal of removing 310 million tons of CO2 by 2030 through land-based actions and community collaboration.
In more detail
In alignment with relevant European Commission strategies and initiatives, LandShift’s mission and vision will be developed and advanced within five (5) Living Spaces established across European rural regions as exemplary real-life, community-based ecosystems under the frameworks of co-creation and co-governance. Specifically, the project aims to:
- Develop innovative regional strategies for climate-neutral land use by deploying Nature- Based Solutions (NBS) that protect biodiversity, enhance food security, and support biomass production.
- Establish five rural pilots called Living Spaces in France, Greece, Italy, Poland, and Ukraine to test, co-create, and co-govern solutions with local stakeholders.
- Utilise Earth Observation (EO), Data Cube technologies, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to analyse and resolve conflicts in land-use objectives.
- Based on the above findings, create a decision-support framework for more effective, sustainable management of land resources.
Promote the principles of the New European Bauhaus, combining sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusiveness in every step.
Outcomes
LandShift’s added value lies in its integrated approach to tackling land-use challenges. A key innovation of the project is the development of Data Cubes—advanced tools that integrate diverse datasets to support monitoring, reporting, and decision-making processes. These Data Cubes will enable regional authorities, policymakers, and stakeholders to access and analyse critical land-use data, facilitating evidence-based decision-making. Furthermore, LandShift aims to become a leading example of climate-resilient land-use management, showing how to balance nature protection with human development. By creating a network of ‘Lighthouses for Climate-Resilient Land-Use Management’, the project will demonstrate how land can be used efficiently, ecosystems restored and protected, and communities strengthened to face climate change.
Consortium Partners
LandShift brings together a diverse group of leading institutions and organisations, each contributing unique expertise and resources towards the shared goal of tackling climate challenges in land use. Specifically, the Consortium comprises twenty-six (26) partners from across Europe, led by the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence from Cyprus.
Quote
“LandShift represents a bold step toward transforming how we manage land use across Europe. By combining advanced technologies with community collaboration, we aim to create solutions that not only restore ecosystems and combat climate change but also empower communities to thrive in harmony with nature.” Ioannis Varvaris | Scientific Coordinator, Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence
Next Steps
LandShift was officially launched at the kick-off meeting held on 12–13 November 2024 in Paphos, Cyprus, bringing together all partners.
LandShift will now move into its implementation phase, focusing on gradually testing solutions in its Living Spaces and engaging local communities through workshops and co-creation activities.
Press Contacts
For more information, press materials, or interview requests, please contact: Nikolaos Sotiriou, Dissemination & Communication Manager, White Research nsotiriou@white-research.eu
