24/10/2023, Brussels. Today, Tuesday, October 24th, we celebrate International Day against Climate Change to raise awareness about the harmful and devastating effects of climate change on the planet. This commemoration is driven by the United Nations (UN) as an initiative advocating for the generation of actions to counteract climate change.
Climate change involves the global variation of the Earth’s climate and temperature, primarily caused by natural factors over the long term. Over the past century, pollution generated by human activity has accelerated this process at an alarming rate due to the emission of greenhouse gases produced by factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, land use, energy consumption, and industrial activities.
These gases lead to an increase in temperatures, giving rise to the phenomenon of global warming, which is the main driver of climate change. Some of the global effects include rising average temperatures, sea level rise, Arctic ice melting, and an increase in extreme weather events such as droughts, wildfires, water shortages, and floods, among others.
The European LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project is actively promoting food safety by developing natural fumigants from plant extracts to control pests in intensive greenhouse horticultural crops.
Through this project, we will achieve two environmental objectives that align completely with the guidelines set by national and EU regulations. First, we will develop a plant-based fumigant product for agricultural use, in compliance with European policies for “zero waste” products.
Secondly, we will introduce natural products to the market as an alternative to the synthetic products currently in use. These natural products will offer significantly higher effectiveness, as they can reach all inaccessible corners of greenhouse crops, reducing the need for phytosanitary products and the associated environmental and toxicological risks. This approach aims to ensure the health of crops and promote a gradual reduction in the use of synthetic chemical pesticides for intensive pest and disease control in greenhouse agriculture.
By doing so, we aim to encourage the adoption of environmentally and socially responsible farming practices, while minimizing negative impacts on the flora and fauna in agricultural areas. Additionally, this will reduce occupational risks associated with human poisoning during the foliar application of synthetic chemical pesticides.
The project, which will have positive effects on biodiversity and climate change, has a budget of 2,758,921.01 EUR, and is led by the Spanish company FumiHogar, with five other partners: the Foundation for Agricultural Auxiliary Technologies (TECNOVA); the Finnova Foundation; B&B Asesores Auditores Ambientales; Comercial Quimica Masso, and BrioAgro Tech.
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