The number of climate-related disasters has been progressively increasing in the last two decades and this trend could be drastically exacerbated in the medium- and long-term horizons according to climate change projections. In this framework, through a multi-disciplinary team and a strong background acquired in relevant recent projects, ICARIA aims to promote the use of asset level modelling to achieve a better understanding on climate related tangible direct and indirect impacts produced by complex, cascading and compound disasters and the related risk reduction provided by suitable, sustainable and cost-effective adaptation solutions. ICARIA focuses on both critical assets and infrastructures that were not designed to consider potential climate changes that can increase the unplanned outages and failures, and also on housing, natural and land areas. Cutting edge methods regarding climate scenario building, assets level coupled models and multi-risk assessment approaches will be implemented and replicated in three EU regions to understand how future climates might affect life-cycle costs of these investments in the coming decades and to help risk owners managing public and private infrastructures to assess costs and benefits of various adaptation solutions. Two of the three case studies, Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the archipelago of South Aegean region, are located in the coastal area of the Mediterranean and are facing increasingly extreme weather events (storm surges, pluvial floods, heatwaves, drought and forest fire) with critical socio-economic and environmental impacts. The third region is situated in Austria, representing an area that is highly affected by climate change with effects (glacier melt and heatwaves) that directly impact the prevailing energy production assets (extremely critical infrastructures) and other important sectors. Moreover, other seven follower regions (third parties) will be the first candidates for replication beyond the project. In this context, ICARIA also fosters several actions to maximize replication and outreaching of the main project outcomes. ICARIA consortium is composed of 16 partners located in 6 EU countries. AQUATEC and UPC share the coordination of the project covering, respectively, administrative/legal and scientific responsibilities with the support of several technical and cross cutting partners formed by technology centres, universities and private companies and the involvement of regional authorities as risk owners of the local critical infrastructures.

The REWET project will facilitate the sustainable restoration and conservation of terrestrial wetlands – freshwater wetlands, peatlands, and floodplains. To do so, REWET draws upon the network of carefully selected seven demonstrators (Open Labs ≥ 2400 ha in total) that cover a range of local conditions, geographic characteristics, governance structures and social/cultural settings to fully understand the wetlands-carbon-climate nexus and provide an replication plan to boost successful wetlands restoration throughout Europe and internationally. In the Open Labs, the most fit-for-purpose technologies will be applied for the monitoring of GHG (Eddy Covariance towers, satellite imagery, field measurements), biodiversity, and meteorological events. Furthermore, the social aspect will be analysed, by evaluating gender differences, locals, and key stakeholders acceptance. REWET has two additional strong scientific pillars: the assessment of EU wetlands status in Europe and modelling. Together with the Open Labs, they will fill out the gaps on wetlands science and provide guidance for cost-effective restoration and monitoring practices that are environmentally friendly, compatible with the future climate and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. As main outcomes, REWET will deliver a wetlands inventory with carbon sink potential, models for wetlands GHG emissions/sequestration under different scenarios including climate change, policy recommendations for wetlands restoration, sound business models and a roadmap for replication. The REWET consortium is a transdisciplinary partnership between researchers, industry partners (SME), non-profit entities, responsible agencies at the local and watershed/regional level and one international organisation, dedicated to achieving the desired outcomes of the project.

RESCCUE aims to deliver a framework enabling city resilience assessment, planning and management by integrating into software tools new knowledge related to the detailed water-centred modelling of strategic urban services performance into a comprehensive resilience platform. These tools will assess urban resilience from a multisectorial approach, for current and future climate change scenarios and including multiple hazards. The project will review and integrate in the general framework existing options to assess climate change impacts and urban systems vulnerabilities allowing to assess multisectorial dependencies under multiple climate change scenarios. An adaptation strategies portfolio, including climate services, ecosystem-based approaches and resource efficiency measures will be incorporated as key components of the deployment strategy. The possible approaches will be ranked by their cost-efficiency in terms of CAPEX and OPEX to evaluate their benefits potential. This will enable city managers and urban system operators deciding the optimal investments to cope with future situations. The validation platform is formed by 3 EU cities (Barcelona, Lisboa and Bristol) that will allow testing the innovative tools developed in the project and disseminating their results among other cities belonging to major international networks. In terms of market potential, RESCCUE will generate large potential benefits, in terms of avoided costs during and after emergencies, that will contribute to their large-scale deployment. The structure of the consortium will guarantee the market uptake of the results, as the complete value chain needed is already represented. The project is coordinated by Aquatec, a large consultancy firm part of a multinational company focused on securing and recovering resources, and includes partners from the research domain, operation of critical urban systems, city managers and international organisations devoted to urban resilience.

ForPeat is an ambitious research project that will advance science-based approaches to optimise the management of forested peatland. At its core, the project will showcase innovative, sustainable forest practices and nature restoration goals on peat soils, focusing on rewetting and water conservation techniques. These demonstrations will serve as Open Labs, illustrating how to balance climate positivity with biodiversity enhancement. A key aspect of ForPeat assesses the carbon sequestration benefits of forested peatlands in relation to their management and how forest harvesting impacts nutrient cycles, sediment movement, dissolved organic carbon exports from forest peat soils and biodiversity. This comprehensive analysis will provide crucial indicators and baselines to maximise climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. To stay at the forefront of environmental monitoring, ForPeat will integrate AI and robotics into remote-sensing and field-data collection methods. ForPeat will explore how these demonstrated activities can be replicated and scaled up, with a focus on developing financial incentives under the EU certification framework. This research will translate into practical recommendations for policymakers and land managers. The project is built on collaboration, employing a multi-actor approach that brings together diverse stakeholders from landowners and foresters to scientists, public authorities, and industry representatives. This inclusive strategy ensures all relevant voices are considered throughout the project's lifecycle, aiming to pave the way for a more sustainable, resilient future for forested peatlands.

Path4Med is a multi-participatory and multidisciplinary project that will pave clear pathways towards zero water and soil pollution in the agro-hydro-system of the Mediterranean sea basin and other European seas through an innovative triple bottom line approach achieving economic, social, and environmental sustainability to ensure human well-being and ecosystems functioning. Path4Med will advance and consolidate agricultural management technologies and solutions within an inclusive and open participatory environment, it will evolve and mainstream novel monitoring technologies and integrated solutions, it will assess the technical feasibility and socioeconomic viability of cascades of solutions through an integrated modelling framework, it will quantify the effectiveness and the net impact of these solutions, and ultimately it will empower Citizens to take action against pollution of soils, waters and the ocean, through clear measurable evidences, increased awareness, and water literacy. Path4Med pathways will be applied and demonstrated in large scale, integrated, Demonstration Sites established in representative Mediterranean areas, in areas representing other European seas and in associated regions. A digital platform and other relevant digital tools will be established to facilitate Path4Med actions, information and knowhow communication, and to support data exchange and data feeding to international Observatories and Knowledge Systems.