How to mitigate the effects of climate change?

Will a method combining agriculture and environmental protection help Europe cope with the effects of extreme weather conditions and, at the same time, produce enough food at an affordable price? The goal was set by the founders of the Doode Bemde nature reserve in Belgium, where farmers still cultivate their fields. They cultivate them at specific times of the year, not using pesticides, and the reserve protects nearby areas from floods.

In the Kazakh steppe, scientists are studying what is probably one of Earth’s most diverse mycelial ecosystems (mycorrhizal networks). The mission in Kazakhstan is part of a global project led by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), an organisation dedicated to mapping underground mushroom networks. By examining which mycorrhizal fungi can survive in difficult steppe conditions, it will be possible to determine how these fungal communities adapt to the climate crisis, increasingly frequent droughts, fires and desertification.

The Cumbria River Restoration partnership is regenerating natural habitats in the mountainous Lake District to secure water supplies in the face of the worsening climate crisis. Natural habitats are designed to absorb, purify and slow freshwater flow, thus increasing its quality and availability. Specialists recreate peat bogs, riparian zone corridors, and rivers that meander naturally, flowing freely through floodplains.