The EU is on a mission to transform marine and freshwater restoration – the Mission Ocean and Waters – to reduce pollution, restore biodiversity, and grow a blue economy. As part of this Mission, FutureLakes aims to transform lake restoration through demonstrating new nature-based and circular economy solutions. But transformation (and FutureLakes) is much more than innovation in technical solutions, it’s also about creating the right enabling environment and demonstrating that societies and the economy benefit from restoring our natural environment.

In this webinar, I will introduce how FutureLakes builds upon MERLIN, adapting and refining many of the component building blocks needed to enable successful freshwater restoration. I will illustrate how FutureLakes is trying to achieve transformative change in practice in operational basin management. I will particularly highlight some of our activities in three areas that we think are important for success:

1. enhancing public engagement and participation in monitoring and management of freshwaters,
2. developing circular economy solutions and business models around restoration and restored lakes
3. developing communities of practice in basin management to foster upscaling of restoration measures.

Through demonstrating and evaluating these solutions we aim to deliver a blueprint for restoring Europe’s stressed-out lakes.