iCOSHELLs and GREENNOMED showcase Living Lab approaches at the Soils for Europe Conference in Coimbra, PT
The iCOSHELLs project partners CETENMA, leader of the GREENNOMED Living Lab in south-eastern Spain and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid joined last week researchers, policymakers, land managers, civil society organisations and industry representatives at the Soils for Europe Conference, held from 7 to 11 September in Coimbra, Portugal.
Co-organised by several projects under the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”, the conference provided a European platform for sharing the latest research and innovations in soil health. It also created opportunities to strengthen collaboration between projects and Living Labs working towards more sustainable soil management across Europe.
Connecting Living Labs across Europe
On the second day of the conference, CETENMA represented GREENNOMED at the Living Labs Fair, where projects and initiatives presented their work and exchanged experiences with other Living Labs.
During the “Living Labs on Spotlight” session, organised by SOILL, the team introduced both GREENNOMED and iCOSHELLs.
The session offered an opportunity to explain how Living Labs can bring together local stakeholders, researchers and practitioners to co-design and test practical solutions for improving soil health.
CETENMA also took part in an interview with SOILL focusing on the main challenges involved in improving soil health in south-eastern Spain. These challenges include understanding the specific pressures affecting local soils and developing tools that can help stakeholders make informed decisions about their protection and management.
The Living Labs Fair formed part of the conference’s wider focus on European projects and initiatives. A dedicated Living Labs day highlighted the importance of place-based, participatory approaches in turning research into solutions that can be applied in real-world contexts.
Sharing new approaches to soil health monitoring
The third day featured two presentations linked to CETENMA’s work.
The first, “Soil Health Monitoring and Prototype Evaluation: A Living Lab-Based Approach” was presented during the session “EUSO Forum – Five Years On: Key Insights from the Mission Soil”, coordinated by Panos Panagos from the European Soil Data Centre (EUSO).
The presentation created an opportunity to exchange strategies, identify synergies and explore potential collaborations with EUSO and other European projects working on soil monitoring and data.
The second abstract, “Building Blocks of a Strong and Long-Term Sustainable Living Lab: GREENNOMED’s Approach,” was presented during the session “New Technologies and Innovations to Enhance Soil Health”. It focused on the conditions needed to create a Living Lab that remains active, relevant and sustainable over the long term.
Together, the two contributions demonstrated how GREENNOMED combines scientific knowledge, stakeholder engagement and practical experimentation to support healthier soils.
A clear way to communicate soil health
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid presented a prototype for assessing and communicating soil health through a traffic-light system.
The approach uses data collected through Living Labs and threshold values derived from European references, including the proposed Soil Monitoring Law, as well as national soil literature and scientific publications.
Its purpose is to make soil health information easier to understand and use. Rather than presenting technical results in isolation, the system groups soils into clear categories indicating whether they:
- Are in a healthy condition.
- Should be monitored because they are experiencing difficulties.
- Are in poor condition and require action.
The prototype currently brings together 31 indicators organised into four main areas, covering biological and chemical properties, heavy-metal contamination and soil carbon. The team is also working towards incorporating additional biological variables. This remains a challenge because biological indicators can be more difficult to interpret and because robust, widely applicable thresholds are still being developed.
By translating complex monitoring data into simple visual language, the traffic-light system could help researchers, policymakers, land managers and other stakeholders better understand soil conditions and identify where intervention may be needed.
From research to practical action
The participation of CETENMA and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid at the Soils for Europe Conference illustrates the value of collaboration between European projects.
Through GREENNOMED and iCOSHELLs, partners are helping to connect research with local knowledge and practical action. Their work contributes to the broader ambition of the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”: supporting the development of Living Labs and Lighthouses that can test and demonstrate sustainable approaches to soil management across Europe.
Events such as the Soils for Europe Conference are essential for building these connections. They enable projects to share results, learn from one another and develop new partnerships capable of addressing the complex challenges facing Europe’s soils.
