The event “Virtuous water management: concrete actions for companies and local authorities” was held on Monday 20 January at the Bacchiglione Resurgences naturalistic area in Dueville (VI). A well-attended public event which marked the official launch of the LIFE Svolta Blu project – Voluntary credit system to promote water saving and conservation.
It is a project that we at EPC care a lot about, having followed it from the conception and writing phase of the proposal.
Funded by the Climate Governance and Information sub-programme of the European Union’s LIFE programme, the LIFE Blue Turn project aims to raise awareness among citizens and businesses about the sustainable management of water, developing alternative markets where users (industrial, agricultural and domestic) can voluntarily contribute to water saving, restoration and conservation interventions. Inspired by carbon credits, the project proposes a system of “blue credits” which, through the water footprint tool, incentivises investments in protection actions, promoting equity and transparency.
The project activities will mainly concern the Vicenza plain, a key area for the water supply of Vicenza and Padua. Agricultural companies, industries, public bodies and individual citizens will be protagonists of a pilot phase which aims to save and recharge over 120,000 cubic meters of water every year. The objective is not only to reduce the water impact, but also to create a model that can be replicated in other areas of Italy and Europe.
The project officially started on 1 October 2024 and will last until 31 January 2028. The partners are Viacqua (coordinator), the Palazzo Festari IPA Alto Vicentino Foundation, the University of Padua with the TESAF and ICEA departments, ANBI Veneto, the Alta Pianura Veneta Reclamation Consortium and CSQA. EPC covers the role of Technical Assistance for the correct management and reporting of the project, supporting the coordinator and the entire partnership.
More information on the project at this link or on the social pages: https://www.facebook.com/61571203561196 and https://www.linkedin.com/company/life-svolta-blu/
