interBalkan Environment Center

The InterBalkan Environment Center (I-BEC) is a leading organization in environmental research and carbon emissions reduction in Greece. With a highly experienced interdisciplinary team, I-BEC has successfully implemented 139 projects funded by national, European, and international sources. The organization actively supports climate adaptation and develops sustainable solutions at both national and European levels. I-BEC specializes in producing scalable services and applications through the collection, analysis, integration, and interpretation of in-situ and Earth observation data to address diverse stakeholder needs. Its mission is to empower partners with data-driven tools that support informed decision-making for GHG emissions reduction, guide evidence-based policy development, and foster innovation in the carbon economy. I-BEC’s expertise spans a wide range of environmental domains, including ecosystem monitoring, carbon accounting and modelling, and the development of climate-resilient strategies across various spatiotemporal scales. This expertise makes I-BEC a key partner for LandShift, contributing to land-use monitoring, carbon sequestration, and the MRV methodologies.

Role in LandShift

I-BEC will support all work packages by utilizing its expertise in Earth Observation data and carbon sequestration modeling to enhance strategies for land-use management, biodiversity conservation, and climate mitigation. With a strong background in data-driven decision-making and ecosystem monitoring, I-BEC will also assist in policy development to ensure LandShift’s solutions are effective and sustainable. Key activities include:

1. Carbon sequestration modeling across varied landscapes.
2. Supervising the terrestrial greenhouse gas (GHG) dynamics and Soil Health Descriptors assessment in all LandShift Living Spaces (LSs)
3. Assessment of GHG dynamics and Soil Health Descriptors in the Greek LS.
4. Development of a cost-efficient Cabon-budgeting method.
5. Integration of Earth Surface Models for data-scarce locations.
6. Support for biomass dynamics and biogenic emissions assessments.
7. Development of a vegetation classification methodology using Deep Learning.
8. Deployment of portable analyzers to measure CO₂ and CH₄ emissions in the Greek LS.
9. Design of a monitoring framework for evaluating solutions and integrating findings with environmental impact bonds, aligned with New European Bauhaus principles.
10. Creating a roadmap for scaling LandShift LSs.

Key People Involved

Paraskevi Chantzi, Scientific Coordinator, [email protected] , https://www.linkedin.com/in/paraskevi-chantzi-9438a5251

George Galanis, Team Leader, [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgios-galanis-b20a812b9

Georgia Kostaki, Project Manager, [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-kostaki-8a0566305

Chryssa Kopra, Task Leader, [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/in/chryssa-kopra-8b8446258/

Argiro Papastergiou, Team Member,  [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/in/argiro-papastergiou/

Maria Giortsou, Team Member, [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-giortsou-a5915455

Dimitris Gkoutzikostas, Team Member, [email protected]

George Varras, Team Member, [email protected]