The Med-IREN project aims to protect local communities and businesses from climate extreme events across the Mediterranean region. By combining nature-inspired solutions with engineering practices, the project seeks to safeguard societies from flooding, wildfires and other climate hazards that threaten critical sectors, such as transport and energy.
The project will be showcased in five regions across the Mediterranean, and the solutions and interventions will be replicated in four regions across the EU. Med-IREN will also demonstrate key factors for upscaling and replicating these mechanisms within Mediterranean regions and beyond.
On 14-15 May, project partners gathered in Burgas, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 for the latest consortium meeting, hosted in this coastal city known for its rich biodiversity and growing wildfire risks.
The event featured an Info-Science Session focused on tackling wildfires through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and advanced wildfire monitoring technologies.🔥
✅ Regional teams presented key climate hazards and explored tailored solutions. ✅ Lessons from each region showed how engaging local stakeholders is crucial for lasting climate resilience. ✅ Partners also exchanged insights from Public-Private-Civil Partnership (PPCP) Labs, where diverse actors come together to address local needs and strengthen collaboration.
Burgas, part of the NATURA 2000 network and a key migratory bird route, was a fitting venue for these vital discussions on protecting vulnerable communities from escalating wildfire threats.
More to come as this growing network builds resilience across Europe!
The Mediterranean region faces growing climate risks such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfires, threatening communities, ecosystems, and essential infrastructure.
The EU-funded Med-IREN project combines nature-based solutions with engineering practices to safeguard critical services and build climate-resilient societies. Pilot projects in Spain, France, Italy, and Greece will demonstrate these approaches, with further replication planned across Europe.
On March 7, 2025, NSRC Demokritos and the Municipality of Aigeleo, Athens, Greece, held the first Public-Private-Citizen Partnership (PPCP) workshop in Aigaleo as part of the MED-IREN project.
The event brought together citizens, students, teachers, and municipal representatives to co-design nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. Through interactive mapping and open dialogue, participants proposed actions like tree planting, bio-bricks, UV-absorbing Starpath, and the innovative “Liquid Tree” air purifier.
From identifying climate risks to brainstorming resilient infrastructure, the workshop showcased the power of collaboration in building a greener, more climate-ready city.
On 26 March 2025, the Med-IREN project was presented at the 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 event in Sofia, Bulgaria – a dynamic gathering of over 80 participants from Bulgarian ministries, municipalities, scientific institutions, the European Space Agency - ESA, and Burgas Municipality.
Representing Med-IREN, our project coordinator Thanasis Sfetsos from NCSR "DEMOKRITOS" shared how we are working 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 across the Mediterranean using nature-based solutions (NbS) – a key step toward building more 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.
Great discussions during the Med-IREN day at Entente VALABRE with #CEREN! We caught up with Solène Cusset, regional lead for Nature-Based Solutions, to talk about how these approaches help prevent wildfires and boost climate resilience.
ECCA 2025 - 7th EUROPEAN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION CONFERENCE
The 7th biennial European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA2025) will be held from June 16-18, 2025, in Rimini, Italy.
This conference will serve as a vibrant platform for showcasing cutting-edge research and innovative solutions, sharing knowledge and best practices and fostering collaboration towards a climate-resilient society. It will bring together researchers, decision-makers, practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders to exchange research findings, innovative policy developments and solutions, and practical implementation experiences.
ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting
This event is a networking opportunity and an invitation to scientists, research institutions, policymakers, innovators, industry, ESA DTE activities, European and national DT initiatives and projects to share their experience and contribute to shaping the future evolution of the use of EO in the context of Digital Twins in Europe.
Join us from 3-5 February 2025 in Frascati, Italy.
PR: SEVEN MEDITERRANEAN REGIONS TO USE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE PROOF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Following the past severe #flooding across Spain, Italy, and France, building resilience has become a top priority for Mediterranean communities.
“To tackle this risk, we’ll create nature-based riverbank walls to absorb excess water and reduce flood risks. We’ll also plant native species to filter water, making it reusable for irrigation — helping us manage both floods and droughts,” said Thanasis Sfetsos, Research Director at the National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos'.
Led by Demokritos, the Med-IREN project focuses on harnessing nature to address climate challenges while delivering lasting benefits to local communities. From coastal restoration in Tuscany to flood-resilient riverbanks in Spain, Med-IREN is safeguarding vital water, energy, transport, and social infrastructure.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.
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