RESIST steps up pressing climate solution search 

Europe faced a summer of stark reminders: wildfires raging across Portugal and Spain, rising seas threatening communities in Sweden, and extreme heatwaves impacting residents and tourists in Italy. The scale and intensity of these climate hazards make one thing clear: solutions are needed more than ever, and RESIST is stepping in to help communities prepare, adapt, and respond. 

Across the continent, RESIST is turning solution ideas into action. In Portugal, mosaic landscape strategies are helping reduce wildfire risks; in Sweden, XR and Virtual Reality are supporting awareness and decision-making; or in Italy, climate shelters are providing safe spaces during extreme heat events.  

From technology and research to hands-on community engagement, RESIST ensures that solutions reach those who need them most. By combining innovation with local action, the project is helping Europe build more resilient communities. 

The RESIST Communications Team 

Wildfires in Portugal: Explore our Latest Video 

For residents in Central Portugal, the threat of wildfires looms large each summer. The RESIST Project partners are working with locals to build their resilience to climate hazard through community engagement, innovative forest management practices, and technology. Want to know more? Read our featured article.

XR for Awareness and Decision-Making in Blekinge, Sweden 

In Blekinge, southern Sweden, the average sea level is projected to rise 60 cm by the end of the century, with high tides, storms, and flash floods further compounding climate challenges and highlighting the urgent need for proactive interventions in the region.  Ready our new article to understand how demo sites combine Virtual Reality (VR) are bringing solutions.

Building for the Future: RESIST Demo Houses in Lemvig, Denmark 

On 19 August, the RESIST Project unveiled two climate-resilient demo houses in Lemvig Kommune, timed with the National Climate Summit. 

Featuring flood-ready design, circular construction, and biogenic materials like wood fibre, eelgrass and aerogel insulation, the houses act as living labs, one open to visitors, the other tested in a flood-prone meadow. 

RESIST Spotlighted as Featured Project by CINEA

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) featured RESIST following the recent milestone of the project in Central Denmark. Partners in the Danish region are helping to adapt to the climate pressures with three innovative climate change adaptation solutions. As highlighted by CINEA, RESIST is proving the efforts to the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. From local pilots to long-term planning, RESIST is showing how science, technology and citizen participation can come together to create climate-smart regions that are ready for the future. 

Wildfires are Bigger Than Ever, RESIST is Supporting With Solutions 

The devastating wildfires that have broken out across Spain and Portugal this summer are a powerful reminder of the urgent need to strengthen our resilience to extreme climate events.  
 
In the final week of July, thousands of hectares of forest and agricultural land were burned by wildfires. In Portugal, over 1,800 firefighters were deployed to combat multiple fires in areas like Arouca and Ponte da Barca amid evacuations and reports of injuries. 
 
Meanwhile in Spain, a fast-moving fire in Las Hurdes, in the RESIST region of Extremadura, scorched more than 2,500 hectares, forcing evacuations. 

Climate Change Hits Tourism, Resist Explores the Climate Shelters

In Puglia, extreme heat is an issue and hazard for residents and tourists alike, as Davide De Nicolò explains. The region in southern Italy is facing increasingly intense extreme weather events. This was evident in the major heatwave that occurred in July 2024. 

Climate shelters are a much-needed climate adaptation solution for Puglia. Cool, safe indoor spaces such as museums, libraries, and cultural venues where both tourists and locals can find respite during #heatwaves. 
 
Although successfully trialed in other parts of Europe, in Puglia this concept is still in its early stages. Through RESIST, work is underway to identify suitable venues and explore how climate shelter functions can be integrated into their summer service offerings – catering to the needs of tourists and residents alike. Follow RESIST on Instagram and share our videos with your network.

Project Spotlight

RESIST in the News

REVOLVE Magazine highlights RESIST solutions in an article that show how Catalonia combines nature-based solutions and innovation to strengthen local resilience against climate-driven extreme weather events. 

The local media outlet Limfjord Update reports on the inauguration of the two demo houses in Lemvig, Central Denmark, in August. 

On the Horizon

Mark your calendar: Key events coming up

RESIST will host a session during the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025. The session will highlight the concrete efforts of the RESIST project to strengthen climate resilience across 12 EU regions. 

The EU Regions Week 2025, taking place in Brussels from 13 to 15 October, is an annual opportunity to exchange ideas and connect with regions and cities across Europe. Registration deadline: 30 September

Join this online webinar organised by RESIST, where European start-ups will present their projects to improve decision-making and governance in the preparation and implementation of climate change adaptation (CCA) initiatives at the regional and municipal levels. 

Discover Destination Earth (DestinE), a flagship initiative from the European Commission that aims to develop a highly accurate digital replica of the Earth to monitor and simulate natural phenomena, hazards, and human activities. Join their online presentation event on 16 October at 2:00 PM CET. 

Ecomondo 2025 is a key event for the green and circular economy. It is the meeting place where industrial groups, stakeholders, policymakers, opinion leaders, local authorities, research bodies, and institutions come together and put in place elements that define the strategies for the development of EU environmental policy. 

Stay connected with RESIST for the latest updates, innovative climate solutions, and upcoming events. Let’s continue building a more resilient and sustainable future together!

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