GREENHOOD - A European Initiative to Rebalance Nutrient Flows for a Sustainable Future
GREENHOOD was officially launched in January 2025 with its kick-off meeting in Vic, Spain. This marks the start of a four-year Horizon Europe Innovation Action under Cluster 6: "Zero Pollution — Demonstrating how regions can operate within safe ecological and regional nitrogen and phosphorus boundaries."
Coordinated by the BETA Technological Center of the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic), GREENHOOD brings together 28 partners from 10 European countries to develop systemic, zero-pollution solutions that rebalance nutrient flows while enhancing climate resilience and biodiversity.
A Project for Sustainable Nutrient Management
Today, nutrient imbalances are a growing threat to environmental sustainability, food security, and economic stability across Europe: Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture, wastewater, and industry have led to severe ecological consequences, including soil degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
The European Commission has recognised these challenges through key policies such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy, the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the upcoming Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan (INMAP), which aims to cut nutrient losses by 50%. However, achieving these ambitious targets requires a region-specific, systemic approach that balances nutrient flows while ensuring economic viability for farmers, industries, and policymakers.
GREENHOOD addresses this urgent need by demonstrating innovative strategies to prevent and reduce nutrient excesses. The project will foster regional nutrient circularity and introduce governance measures that incentivise sustainable practices.
Demonstrating Solutions Across Four European Regions
GREENHOOD will conduct large-scale demonstrations in four key regions, each facing unique nutrient imbalance challenges:
- Ebro River Basin, in Spain: Tackling nutrient emissions from intensive livestock farming and agro-industrial activities with advanced nutrient recovery technologies, bioremediation, and smart fertilisation.
- Meuse/Rhine/Scheldt Basins, Belgium and the Netherlands: Addressing agricultural nutrient losses through precision fertilisation, buffer strips, and wetland-based treatment systems.
- Archipelago Sea Basin, in Finland: Implementing circular bioeconomy solutions, including soil amendments, sewage sludge valorisation, and poultry manure-based bio-based fertilisers (BBFs).
- Trondheim Fjord Basin, in Norway: Developing digital monitoring tools, stakeholder engagement strategies, and novel aquaculture and livestock nutrient management technologies.
A Collaborative Effort for Sustainable Nutrient Management
The GREENHOOD consortium brings together leading universities, research centres, industry experts, policymakers, and environmental organisations across Europe to develop practical and scalable solutions for nutrient circularity. The project fosters cross-sector collaboration to create lasting environmental and economic benefits by bridging scientific research, technological innovation, and policy development.
“We highly believe that the GREENHOOD project will deliver transformative impacts following a collaborative approach, involving stakeholders across different sectors and in the different territories, ensuring that solutions are tailored to regional needs and aligned with EU environmental goals. Through sustainable practices, policy influence, and knowledge sharing, the project will foster a transition towards a more sustainable Europe operating within safe ecological boundaries”. GREENHOOD Project Coordinator
Get involved
GREENHOOD actively engages with farmers, public authorities, agrifood industries, wastewater treatment plants, and aquaculture operators to drive knowledge exchange and policy adoption. The project will also collaborate with the European Sustainable Nutrient Initiative (ESNI) and its 2 sister projects AQUAPHOENIX and NPOWER, funded under the same Horizon Europe call, to scale best practices and develop joint policy recommendations.
If you're interested in engaging with GREENHOOD, fill out our interest form to stay informed, collaborate, or participate in upcoming activities.