Regional climate surveys kick-start IMPETUS engagement for adaptation and risk reduction

Policy makers and communities in 7 European regions can contribute to climate change adaptation and risk reduction through the EU-funded IMPETUS project, starting with a 15-minute survey in English and local languages. The survey results will shape regional programmes of activities that engage communities in the co-creation of solutions, tools and information to capture and share knowledge and aid policy and planning. Successful outcomes from the project test sites in Berlin (Germany), Catalonia (Spain), Attica (Greece), Zeeland (Netherlands), Troms and Finnmark (Norway), Zemgale (Latvia) and Trentino (Italy) will be re-usable by other regions, scaling up the number of communities that become more resilient to climate change impacts.

Members of the public, researchers, environmental groups, industry, media, local governance and other interested parties are invited by IMPETUS partners in these 7 regions to share their knowledge, expertise, concerns and ideas about local climate change impacts. Links to all the survey versions and articles explaining the regional climate change challenges and IMPETUS activities are available via the IMPETUS survey launch story: https://climate-impetus.eu/impetus-partners-launch-7-regional-surveys-get-involved/

IMPETUS activities will lead to the development of:

• Early Warning Systems - to support communities at risk from flooding in Zemgale, Latvia, and from fjord tsunamis caused by landslides in Lyngenfjord, Norway.
• Digital Twins - innovative digital tools and data visualisations will support forecasting of floods and droughts in Valle dei Laghi, Italy, and help protect coastal areas against sea level rise in Attica, GR, Zeeland and Rijnmond, NL, and Troms and Finnmark, NO.
• Assessments of risks and economic impacts - Earth Observation satellite data about vulnerable hotspots will be included in models that aid decision making about investments and future climate mitigation plans in all the project regions.
• Guidelines, recommendations and learning opportunities – will be created for policy makers, finance sector, researchers and other target groups, based on improved data and methodologies.

The testing of nature-based and other solutions within the regions will add further tools that help to reduce the pressure of climate change on water systems, biodiversity, economic and cultural activities. ‘Resilience knowledge boosters’ will combine the digital and human dimensions of the IMPETUS work and support long-term cooperative effort in each of the project regions as well as the scaling up to other regions.

Local organisations, local focus

The IMPETUS project consortium consists of 32 partner organisations from 9 European countries. The partners around each of the seven demonstration sites are taking the leading role in their region’s IMPETUS project activities. Some partners focus on urban or drinking water systems, others on digital technologies or the use of Earth observation satellite data, others are municipal or government bodies, and some are research-based institutions or companies, bringing a wide range of disciplines and expertise to the project. As the local contact points for the project’s vital work to engage with regional stakeholders, these partners are the key to co-creating solutions and learning outcomes, and ensuring the long-term impact and legacy of the work.

By participating with IMPETUS partners in activities to co-create relevant solutions, local representatives can ensure that regional economic, social and cultural factors are taken into account and contribute to locally beneficial climate adaptations and the wider IMPETUS goals for a climate-neutral and sustainable future.   

IMPETUS: Turning climate commitments into action 

Launched on 1 October 2021 with a 14.8 million euro budget, IMPETUS has the objective to turn climate commitments into tangible, urgent actions to protect communities and the planet. As one of the EU Green Deal flagship projects, the 4-year IMPETUS programme will accelerate Europe's response to climate change and support the European Union’s ambitions to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. IMPETUS is working in close collaboration with sister climate-change projects REGILIENCE, ARSINOE and TransformAr. The IMPETUS project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme in the Green Deal call, under grant agreement No 101037084. 

IMPETUS is overseen by CINEA, the European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. The content of this publication reflects only the author’s view; the contents and any use that may be made of this information is not the responsibility of CINEA or the European Union.