News from the European Commission on the LIFE TECMINE project award - LIFE Tecmine

The European Commission has published a news item on the LIFE TECMINE project and the LIFE Citizen's Prize 2023, which a representation of partners collected at the award ceremony on 6 June in Brussels.

The news item highlights that the LIFE Awards are a tribute to the most innovative and impactful projects of the LIFE Programme.

It goes on to explain that the 2023 edition was held in the framework of the European Green Week. The nominated projects were selected from 150 recently completed LIFE projects across the EU in support of the European Green Pact.

Prior to the award ceremony for the three categories; Nature Protection, Environment and Climate Action, citizens were able to vote for their favourite LIFE project among the nine selected projects of this year 2023. Of the more than 10,000 votes received, 3,091 votes went to the LIFE TECMINE project, which won the LIFE Citizen's Prize 2023.

The Acting Director of CINEA, Paloma Abad, was in charge of presenting and presenting the LIFE Citizen Award. Among other aspects, she highlighted the importance of the LIFE projects, which connect the European Union with the citizens, as well as stressed that without the support of all those who have contributed to the success of the programme over the years, the LIFE programme would not be the success story it is today.
 

Representation of LIFE TECMINE at the moment of collecting the LIFE Citizen's Prize 2023

Finally, the article highlights the importance of environmental restoration in mining operations and the lack of effectiveness achieved with traditional restoration techniques. However, it highlights that the LIFE TECMINE project manages to demonstrate the effectiveness of the restoration carried out in a 13 ha area of a mine located in a Mediterranean forest area.

The innovative geomorphological restoration techniques used in the LIFE TECMINE project and applied in Mediterranean forest areas affected by mining have become an international reference. In fact, replications are being carried out in three other mines, which represents an increase of 148% of the initial surface of the project.

LIFE TECMINE has led to an update of the General Mining Management Plan of the Valencian Community (Spain) and, based on the results of the project, a proposal for a Sustainable Mining Law is being drafted. In addition, technical guidelines on mine restoration for public administrations and mining companies have been developed. The project created the first national network for mine and quarry restoration with 60 entities involved.

In this sense, the Generalitat Valenciana has earmarked 2.5 million euros from the EU Next Generation Funds to replicate the project in mines in the area. Moreover, several replications are being carried out, both nationally and internationally.

The collaboration between public authorities, private sector and research institutions has greatly enriched the work done by all parties, as well as the LIFE TECMINE project.

Illustration of the LIFE TECMINE project