ECOMAPS tackles two intertwined challenges in the Italy–Slovenia cross-border area: climate change and urban air pollution. The project’s objective is to support climate-change adaptation in Venice and Ljubljana by providing practical tools for citizens and local authorities and by generating new evidence on pollutants closely linked to climate forcing.
A bilingual web application will display real-time air-quality data with a focus on black carbon (BC)—a key short-lived climate forcer that contributes to atmospheric warming but is currently poorly monitored in the programme area. ECOMAPS will install and maintain BC instruments in Venice and Ljubljana to create a long time series of BC measurements, enabling geospatial analyses and source apportionment to inform future mitigation policies. Co-design with target groups will raise awareness and improve the usability and durability of project outputs.
Beyond real-time data, ECOMAPS will develop guidelines that identify emerging climate-relevant contaminants to monitor in the future. These will be grounded in degradation studies performed in laboratory climate reactors and atmospheric chambers, complemented by field campaigns in both cities, and will include recommendations on analytical methods for detection and quantification.
The approach is multidisciplinary and participatory, engaging research institutions, environmental agencies, municipalities, SMEs and citizens—the full “quintuple helix.” Cross-border cooperation is essential: while territories differ, both share vulnerability to climate change and benefit from harmonised monitoring systems and shared tools. The project runs for 24 months under Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia (SO 2.4).
Partners:
Aerosol d.o.o.
Kamniška 39A
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia, Europe
+386 1 4391 700
Aerosol USA Corp.
10157 SW Barbur Blvd Suite 100C
Portland, OR 97219 USA
+1 510 646 1600