We are participating in the new FIREPOCTEP+ project (0139_FIREPOCTEP_MAS_6_E), which aims to strengthen forest fire prevention and extinction systems in the cross-border region between Spain and Portugal known as La Raya. This project is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Interreg VI-A Spain-Portugal Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2021-2027 (POCTEP).
Led by the University of Vigo, FIREPOCTEP+ has a total budget of 3,322,468.75 euros, a duration of three years (01/01/2024-31/12/2026) and a total of 15 beneficiaries from Spain and Portugal, as well as 2 unfunded partners.
FIREPOCTEP+ (Large Forest Fire Resilient Landscape: Emergency Response, Improving Interoperability and Operational and Social Capacity Building in the Face of Climate Change), is the vital evolution of the successful FIREPOCTEP (0756_FIREPOCTEP_6_E) funded by the 2014-2020 POCTEP program. The new project design seeks to deepen the work of its predecessor and expand the results through the design of connected governance protocols.
This ambitious project is a beacon of cross-border cooperation, committed to environmental preservation and socioeconomic growth in the regions involved. FIREPOCTEP+ promotes an integrated and sustainable approach to jointly address common challenges with a series of ambitious objectives ranging from the development of innovative methodologies and tools, to promoting shared solutions through participatory strategies involving the rural population and the productive sector.
PARTNERSHIP
Public-private collaboration plays a key role in the development of FIREPOCTEP+, which brings together a wide range of public entities, universities, private foundations, technology centers and various committed institutions. This strategic alliance reflects the shared commitment to environmental preservation, the strengthening of forest fire prevention and the revitalization of rural areas.
Specifically, FIREPOCTEP+ is made up of a total of 7 public administrations, 5 university clusters, 2 private foundations and a cutting-edge technology center. In addition, it is supported by 2 unfunded partners. The synergy between the beneficiaries offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, promoting the effectiveness and sustainability of the actions undertaken in this cross-border project.
With a budget of approximately 157,600.57 euros, we coordinated Working Group 6 (WG6) on Visibility, Transparency and Communication, which aims to communicate and raise awareness of FIREPOCTEP+ results, as well as to maximize the visibility of the project by facilitating with existing networks, projects and initiatives to promote effective and efficient knowledge transfer.
In addition, we also participate in the Working Group 4 (WG4) on Co-creation of innovative solutions and smart projects; training, capitalization and financial sustainability, with the objective of promoting open innovation in the cross-border area, enabling the improvement of the capacities and knowledge of local agents and the attraction of talent to the POCTEP region.
EUROPEAN STRATEGIES
This innovative project is positioned in direct response to the challenges identified by the new Operational Program POCTEP 2021-2027, recognizing extreme forest fires as one of the most important natural risks in the cooperation area.
FIREPOCTEP+ is aligned with the actions outlined in the European Green Pact, focusing on biodiversity mitigation and its impact on climate change. In addition, the cross-border vision of FIREPOCTEP+ pursues the objectives of the Common Cross-Border Development Strategy (CBCDS), which clearly highlights among its priorities the need to strengthen the coordination of border resources related to civil protection and to adapt emergency action protocols on both sides of the border.
