Innovated actions of operational know-how transfer, specialized training, networking, technological and scientific support services for the sustainable development and protection of the natural environment have posed i-BEC in the cutting edge as a focal point and a leader in cross border cooperation. i-BEC can provide reliable services and integrated solutions at national and international levels, such as:
- Design & implementation of methods/instruments and mediation amongst bodies of the public & private sector leading to Good Governance
- Earth and Space Observation with ground-based instruments, satellite imagery, telemetry, in-situ measurments, lab analyses, UAVs, URVs and remote sensing
- Interdisciplinary Management & Interpretation of environmental data and scientific support for planning & decision making
- Cooperative Development, Implementation & Specialization of innovative tools in coorperation with the private sector in Green Entrepreneurship
- Developing environmental management applications such as geo-databases, decision support tools and early warning systems
- Creating cooperation networks and promoting knowledge transfer from research institutions to end users
- Developing Protocols for optimizing production processes related to natural resources utilization and entrepreneurship
- Organizing Smart Specialization and Training activities
Examples...
I. Investing in the environment
Innovative methodologies, technological solutions and activities of environmental monitoring and management:
- Pioneer multilevel monitoring system-Combined use of georeferrenced reliable data: sampled filed data analyzed in its Certified Chemical Lab, remote sensing satellite data, in-situ measurements data, unmanned aerial and water robotic vehicle data and telemetric data from the largest operational and reliable telemetric networks in South Europe. A successful example is the Operational monitoring of Strymon river basin within the context of Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.
- Τelemetric network of 109 qualitative, quantitative and meteorological stations in transboundary basins of Greece such as Nestos and Strymon river basins.
- Interdisciplinary approach, with potential contributions from Greek and International academic and research communities, in order to solve complex problems of environmental monitoring and management such as the restoration of Epanomi Lagoon.
- Environmental indicators for policy planning and assessment of human activity impacts on environment, such as baseline Indicators of the Rural Development Programme of Greece 2007-2013.
- Operational plan for the establishment of an Observatory for Rural Development Interventions, in support of the Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
- Digital online decision support systems and early warning systems, including the floods early warning system in Strymon River and the pollution early warning system in Nestos River.
- Operational models for the management of natural resources such as the assessment of the irrigation drilling problem in Koronia and proposed solutions.
- Establishment and operation of IT hub for the management of environmental data from transboundary watersheds and creation of environmental data archive using state of the art geo-databases and digital infrastructures such as cloud computing – server consolidation.
- Serving of environmental data and indicators to the competent authorities and the public in real time with graded access through the aforementioned online digital systems. IEC is the focal point for the management of environmental data of the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace within the framework of the project ‘’Development and application of tools towards the integrated Coastal Management of Thermaikos Gulf: Pilot implementation in the west coastal zone’’ (EEA Grants 0040)].
II. Governance and sustainable development
- Business applications and expertise through the interface and knowledge transfer from the researchers to Producer Organizations (POs) and end users.
- Consultation and mediation between the control mechanism and the end users for the support of green entrepreneurship and sustainable development (for example, Public Power Corporation S.A., Egnatia S.A.) to achieve environmental goals and targets as requested by the legislation and public authorities.
- Participation in the network agencies and support with environmental data in real time including the Division of Planning and Emergency Response of the Ministry of Citizen Protection through issuance of daily bulletins of fire risk.
- Clustering of end users and development of protocols for rational use of natural resources to support green business and socioeconomic development (for example, use of geothermy in agricultural production, digital applications in the management of agroecosystems, best management practices for the agricultural sector, sustainable management in salt pans).
- Smart specialization and training activities for unemployed people, professionals and public servants.
III. Networking at transboundary and interregional level to implement integrated solutions at the river basins
- Establishment of a European Interregional Network of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).
- Development of cross-border stakeholders’ linking framework for flood management (FLINKMAN).
- Development of international cooperation networks for sharing expertise within and outside the European Union.
- Application of innovative technologies and implementation of projects (AUTONEST, RIVERALERT, WETLABUSE, GEOPROMOTION) in Balkan countries.
- Focal point for monitoring fires in the Balkans (Creation of a Fire Monitoring Center).
- Transboundary and interregional transfer, customization and application of best management practices and environmental monitoring solutions such as the environmental monitoring using remote sensing techniques in Black Sea countries (ECO-SATELLITE project).