On May 27, 2025, the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) hosted a landmark event at Casa Batlló, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the LIFE GREEN ADAPT project, co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme (LIFE20 CCA/ES/001795). This exclusive gathering united project partners, stakeholders, and representatives from selected EU-funded projects to foster collaboration, share innovative solutions, and advance the transition to a circular economy.
LIFE GREEN ADAPT is revolutionizing waste infrastructure resilience across the EU by deploying blue-green infrastructure (BGI) and ecosystem-based approaches. These solutions address climate change challenges, such as flash floods, intense rainfall runoff, and fire risks from droughts and heatwaves. The project integrates five cutting-edge technologies to deliver a scalable adaptation strategy, yielding multiple benefits:
- Pollution reduction through advanced bioremediation of landfill leachate.
- Biodiversity enhancement via constructed wetlands.
- Carbon emission reduction with nature-based BGI solutions.
- Circular economy acceleration by valorizing waste streams.
A key innovation includes bio-technosoils, engineered from landfill waste, which stabilize degraded soils and enhance nutrient retention. Additionally, treatment wetlands (TW) purify polluted leachate and stormwater, achieving up to 95% heavy metal reduction and 99% removal of ammonium and BOD₅. An industrial-scale demonstration site in Galicia (Xiloga) validates these solutions, proving their replicability across diverse waste management contexts.
The event, held at the Biosphere-certified Casa Batlló—recognized for its sustainability commitment—opened with a presentation by Dr. Luz Herrero Castilla, AIMEN, the project coordinator. Dr. Blanca Antizar, Director of Consultancy at Isle Utilities Ltd (UK), a project partner, emphasized, “Hosting this event at Casa Batlló, a beacon of sustainability, inspired transformative dialogue, aligning with our mission to scale innovative waste management solutions.”
A highlight was Jaime Ferrer’s (EADA Business School) talk, “Challenges of the Circular Economy in Spain and Europe,” which framed the discussion around four key areas: circular demand, supply, R&D, and horizontal infrastructures. Ferrer raised concerns about shifting EU priorities toward rearmament, which could undermine the European Green Agenda, stressing that “net positive” reindustrialization is critical for Europe’s sustainability goals.
Contributions from Jordi Macarro (Catalan Waste Agency), Carles Salesa (Maresme Circular), Miguel Martín (UPV), Francesc X. Prenafeta (IRTA), and Alejandra Calleros (IES Abroad Barcelona) underscored the need for regional governance, citizen engagement, and education to drive circularity. They emphasized breaking silos, modernizing infrastructure, and fostering public trust to ensure sustainable waste practices.
What’s next?
LIFE GREEN ADAPT will host additional workshops to promote knowledge transfer and innovation adoption, building on the success of this global event. Stay tuned for updates on scaling these transformative solutions.
About LIFE GREEN ADAPT
Co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme (LIFE20 CCA/ES/001795), LIFE GREEN ADAPT enhances EU waste infrastructure resilience against climate change through BGI and ecosystem-based approaches.
Partners include AIMEN, LIMNOS, FACTOR, UPC, AU, XILOGA and ISLE.
