On 10 December, Aix-Marseille University (AMU) officially inaugurated its Biodiversity Charter on the Saint-Charles campus, an important milestone that also marked the grand opening of CARDIMED sub-DEMO5.2. The event took place in the presence of AMU President Éric Berton, representatives of the South Region, and long-standing institutional partners.
This inauguration represents a concrete outcome of the work carried out within CARDIMED, reinforcing the project’s contribution to the ecological transition of higher education campuses and urban environments.
CARDIMED sub-DEMO5.2: From pilot actions to long-term commitment
The Biodiversity Charter builds on the transformation initiated through CARDIMED, particularly through the first phase of the redevelopment of outdoor spaces at the Saint-Charles campus. These interventions were designed and implemented according to strong ecological principles and included soil unsealing, renaturation measures, and improved rainwater management.
Through sub-DEMO5.2, CARDIMED supported these actions by partially funding the unsealing works and enabling the acquisition of scientific monitoring instruments, essential for assessing the effectiveness of the Nature-Based Solutions implemented on campus.
The Charter now institutionalises these principles, ensuring that the approaches promoted by CARDIMED — including integrated water management, ecological maintenance, biodiversity enhancement, and climate adaptation — become a permanent part of AMU’s policies, extending well beyond the project’s lifetime.
CARDIMED as a structuring European framework for pilot campuses
Within CARDIMED, the Saint-Charles and Saint-Jérôme campuses serve as the two French pilot demonstration sites. These campuses act as living laboratories where Nature-Based Solutions are tested, monitored, and refined in real-world conditions.
By embedding CARDIMED principles into its Biodiversity Charter, AMU confirms the project’s role as a structuring European framework, capable of driving institutional change and ensuring continuity after project completion.
Scaling up impact across Aix-Marseille University
Looking ahead, AMU plans to extend the Biodiversity Charter and CARDIMED-inspired interventions to additional campuses, including Luminy, Schuman, Montperrin, La Timone, Digne, and Gap. A second phase of works at the Saint-Charles campus is already planned for 2027, further strengthening the long-term vision.
Beyond infrastructure, the campuses also play a key educational and scientific role. Students from different disciplines are actively involved in monitoring and evaluation activities, demonstrating how CARDIMED supports interdisciplinary learning and positions biodiversity and climate adaptation as shared societal challenges.
A lasting legacy for climate-resilient campuses
The inauguration of the Biodiversity Charter and the opening of CARDIMED sub-DEMO5.2 illustrate how European research and innovation projects can deliver tangible, lasting change. Through CARDIMED, pilot actions are transformed into long-term institutional commitments, reinforcing the role of universities as frontrunners in climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable urban development.
