Acronym: “LIFE CONOPS”
Duration: 01.07.2013 – 31.12.2017 (4,5 years)
“LIFE CONOPS” (LIFE12 ENV/GR/000466) is funded by the European Commission in the framework of the programme LIFE + Environment Policy and Governance.
Project Budget:
- Total project budget: 2.989.314 Euro
- EC contribution: 1.480.656
The project is implemented in the EU Member States, Greece and Italy, including all regions in both countries.
LIFE CONOPS project is coordinated by Benaki Phytopathological Institute (Greece) with Dr Antonios Michaelakis being the project manager. The involved beneficiaries are: Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), Azienda Sanitaria Locale Cesena (Italy), Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale Ravenna (Italy), Centro Agricoltura Ambiente “G.NICOLI” S.R.L. (Italy), NCSR Demokritos (Greece), ONEX Hellenic-Services Provision Private Company-Security Systems (Greece), Regione Emilia-Romagna – Public Health Service (Italy), Research University Institute of Sustainable Development and Human Resources/Urban Environment and Human Resources-Panteion University (Greece), Terra Nova Environmental Engineering Consultancy Ltd (Greece).
Project Objectives:
Globalization of trade and travel has facilitated the spread of non-native species across the earth. A proportion of these species become established and cause serious environmental, economic and human health impacts. These species are referred to as invasive. As a long-time centre for trade, Europe has seen the introduction and subsequent establishment of more than 11,000 alien species, at least 15 % of which are invasive and detrimental. Insects are the dominant group among non-native terrestrial invertebrates in Europe: of 1,522 established species, 1,306 (86%) are insects.
Regarding mosquitoes, several invasive mosquito species (IMS) have been inadvertently introduced in Europe, where they find favorable environmental and climatic conditions enhanced by Climate Change, to establish permanent populations. In fact, it is estimated that due to the foreseen Climate Change trends, the IMS problem will be more intense in the immediate future. Consequently, new sanitary and environmental risks are faced, including the reappearance of Mosquito Borne Diseases such as Chikungunya, Zika, Dengue, West Nile which are currently emerging in different Member States, requiring the adoption of specific measures.
Within the above mentioned framework, the proposed LIFE CONOPS project aims at the development of integrated management plans for the effective and environmental friendly control of the invasive mosquito species spread and establishment across Europe.