CBA’s scientific approaches presented to The King during his visit to Rome
- His Majesty King Charles III meets scientists from the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance and Italian scientific institutions with whom the CBA is developing new collaborations
- Demonstration of scientific approaches and tools for measurement, used in the CBA’s global network of Living Labs
- The CBA Living Labs for Regenerative Landscapes blend science, technology and traditional knowledge to holistically regenerate landscapes, support communities and rethink value chains
The scientific approaches and tools that lie behind the CBA’s global network of Living Labs were presented to His Majesty King Charles III on 10 April, during the State Visit to Italy.
The event was organised in the gardens of the British Residence in Rome, where CBA CEO Marc Palahí and Chief Scientist Giuseppe Scarascia-Mugnozza introduced The King to the new CBA scientific activities in the pipeline.
CBA Associated Researcher Professor Matilda van den Bosch shared the latest scientific results on the importance of nature for human health and wellbeing. Exposure to Nature, for example via urban forests, can improve human health, particularly mental health amongst young people. New CBA Living Labs are being planned on this topic.
The King also heard about the development of a Living Lab for medicinal plants in Italy, supported by Aboca. The Living Lab will test agroforestry-based medicinal plant production and landscape resilience in central Italy, scientifically assessing biodiversity, carbon sequestration and soil health as well as socio-economic implications.
The effect of environmental disturbances and global change impacts on trees and landscape, particularly in the Rome area, was presented to the King by Giulia Bonella, Director of the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano and Rome’s City Councillor Sabrina Alfonsi.
The King also saw scientific installations to measure climate change impacts on plants and trees, and the ecosystem’s role in removing carbon and pollutant gases from the atmosphere, presented by Carlo Calfapietra, National Research Council of Italy and Riccardo Valentini, University of Tuscia, and colleagues.
Scientific tools for measuring carbon, water and soil were demonstrated in the Embassy gardens.
Marc Palahí said: “We are very happy to be in Rome with The King to present our latest scientific results and ideas for future projects across the world. Italy is an important country for the CBA. Many of our scientists are based in Italy and I am a very proud honorary member of the Italian Forest Academy of Sciences.”
More information
The Living Labs are based on a rigorous science-based framework, the CBA Principles for Regenerative Landscapes. https://doi.org/10.62164/20242
The CBA works with not only scientists, but also indigenous communities, corporates and local governments to develop Living Labs for Regenerative Landscapes. Each Living Lab activates scientific and traditional knowledge through public-private partnerships to demonstrate the power of Nature-based Solutions to holistically transform landscapes and supply chains as the basis for a nature-, climate- and people-positive economy.
Photos: Thomas Toti / British Embassy Rome
