Building on the first Cyprus Hub workshop held in March 2026, a second workshop was organised during the summer (on 22 July 2026). Тhe workshop focused on moving from stakeholder dialogue to the co-design of concrete research and innovation concepts. This workshop was co-organised by three project partners - the Open University of Cyprus, The Cyprus Institute and VL Sustainability Metrics Ltd.
The meeting brought together representatives from academia and research, public authorities, SMEs and professional services, and environmental NGOs, strengthening cross-sector collaboration around Cyprus’s climate and biodiversity challenges. Participants reviewed selected Horizon Europe biodiversity funding opportunities and worked in multidisciplinary teams to assess their relevance, partnership requirements, pilot-site availability, data needs and expected impacts.
This collaborative process resulted in four initial project concepts addressing key priorities identified for the CY Demo Hub:
- Pollinator-friendly agroecological Living Labs
- Circular restoration substrates using construction and demolition waste
- Nature-based recovery of wildfire-affected agricultural landscapes
- Community-based NBS hubs linking nature restoration, local food production, circularity and sustainable business models
The workshop demonstrated the value of combining scientific knowledge with practical, policy, business and community expertise. The next phase will focus on refining the most promising concepts, identifying additional partners and pilot sites, and developing selected ideas towards future collaborative proposals. In this way, the Cyprus Demonstration Hub is evolving into an active platform for co-designing practical Nature-Based Solutions for agricultural resilience, biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation.
For more information on the Cyprus Demonstration Hub you can check out its dedicated page on the GREEN TALENT website here!
