The 2007 “Energy Policy for Europe” targeted towards improving energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. The ANSWER project aimed to contribute to this policy by reducing energy use.

The project promoted the reduction of carbon emissions through increased energy efficiency amongst businesses and communities within the North Sea Region. The project called for promoting changes in practice by addressing attitudes and behaviour of businesses and societies, therefore leading to a reduction in energy use (and hence in carbon footprint).

The project developed a Climate Barometer Monitoring Tool which will be used to monitor and visualise the real time energy and climate performance of the participating communities and SMEs. In practice, by implementing the Climate Barometer Monitoring Tool, they will commit and take steps towards energy and climate impact reductions.

The partnership also investigated and tested common sourcing of energy supplies or energy efficiency goods and innovative management systems, by e.g. setting more high energy efficiency products into use through joint purchasing and stocking, and thus compensating for the comparably longer delivery time of high efficient products.

The project focused on enabling farmers to act successfully as water managers in changing climatic conditions. The project presented water risk management practices that will reduce the consequences of flooding, droughts, water shortage and nutrient transport.

The emphasis on the farmer as a water manager is contributing towards implementing EU policies, such as the Water Framework Directive. The final result of the project was a water management concept to use as a manual for farmers and a set of recommendations on future land and water management planning.

Aquarius is also represented in the cluster project WaterCAP.

The ACCSEAS project addressed improved maritime access to the North Sea Region by developing and implementing e-Navigation within a transnational framework. A North Sea e-Navigation test-bed was established to demonstrate proof-of-concept solutions.

ACCSEAS enabled service providers, researchers and suppliers to develop e-Navigation regional services and to prototype novel marine navigation and communication concepts.

ACCSEAS provided the basis for alleviation of congestion, bottlenecks and accident risk, improving North Sea Region access, with sustained cooperation and actions after the project.