In the year in which the global campaign focuses on climate action, CESAM highlights research on climate, biodiversity, pollution, environmental health, coastal ecosystems and sustainable innovation.
Today, 5 June, marks World Environment Day, a United Nations initiative established in 1972 and celebrated annually as a global platform for mobilisation in support of environmental protection. In 2026, the global campaign focuses on climate action, with Azerbaijan and the city of Baku hosting the international celebrations.
At CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, research contributes to understanding major environmental challenges, anticipating risks and supporting sustainable solutions. This mission brings together fundamental and applied science, monitoring, modelling, risk assessment, technological innovation and decision support, in an approach aligned with the principles of sustainability and One Health.
CESAM’s research activity is organised into three Thematic Lines — Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation; Environmental Management, Pollution and Modelling; and Socioecological Systems and Resources — articulated with six Research Clusters, enabling the integration of knowledge from the natural sciences, engineering, modelling, ecology, environmental health and socio-economic sciences.
Among many others, six projects illustrate the diversity of this research.
2-DEPLAST seeks to develop innovative, bifunctional biopolymers for the detection and sustainable decomposition of plastic waste. Combining microbial genetic engineering, metabolomics, toxicology, polymer chemistry and optics, the project addresses one of today’s most persistent environmental pressures: the accumulation of plastics and plasticisers in aquatic ecosystems.
In the field of air quality, AIRTIP develops knowledge and tools to respond to new European regulatory requirements. In a context in which the European Union has adopted more ambitious air-quality standards for 2030, the project supports the assessment of emission sources, pollutant transport, human exposure and health impacts, contributing to more informed public policies.
In coastal ecosystems, LIFE SeaGrassRIAwild works on the restoration of seagrass meadows in the Ria de Aveiro, using nature-based solutions, seagrass mariculture and social engagement. The project strengthens biodiversity conservation, habitat quality and the role of these ecosystems in coastal resilience and blue carbon storage.
In the area of chemical pollution and environmental health, PARC – Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals contributes to a new generation of chemical risk assessment, supporting European policies aimed at protecting human health and the environment. CESAM’s participation in this international consortium strengthens the link between science, regulation and the prevention of exposure to contaminants.
In biodiversity, B-CUBED develops tools to transform large volumes of biological data into indicators useful for public decision-making. Through data cubes, essential biodiversity variables and predictive models, the project supports the monitoring of ecosystem change and responses to pressures such as climate change, pollution, land use and the exploitation of natural resources.
At the interface between climate and health, ISMED-CLIM focuses on the impacts of climate change in the Mediterranean region, including extreme heat, air pollution, non-communicable diseases and vector-borne diseases. The project develops adaptation solutions, forecasting tools and decision support to reduce public-health risks in particularly vulnerable contexts.
These examples demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary scientific responses to the triple planetary crisis — climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. By integrating ecological, technological, chemical, atmospheric, climatic, social and economic knowledge, CESAM helps transform science into evidence, strategies and solutions that are useful to society.
On this World Environment Day, CESAM reaffirms its commitment to rigorous, collaborative and solution-oriented science, placing knowledge at the service of ecosystem protection, the sustainability of natural resources and the resilience of communities.