Digital Tools for Climate Adaptation: GDi in Action with the ARCADIA Project

The project pioneers nature-based solutions for effective climate adaptation in eight European regions.

A groundbreaking initiative, the ARCADIA (TrAnsformative climate ResilienCe by nAture-baseD solutions in the contInentAl bio-geographical region) project, is set to revolutionize the adoption of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for climate adaptation in eight European regions. Demonstrating the efficiency and effectiveness of NBS, ARCADIA aims to ensure local adaptation and coherent selection of solutions for sustainability and to prevent adverse side effects. A consortium of 43 partners, from 9 different countries, with a budget of € 18.586.620 (€ 17.562.795 of EC contribution) will mobilize communities and regions from Italy, Croatia, Austria, Denmark, Sweden (which are model regions), Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovenia (which are fellow regions) to accelerate the adoption of NBS. The focus is on providing these regions with up-to-date, evidence-based actionable knowledge, guidance, knowledge-intensive tools and services, as well as fostering mutual learning and networking opportunities.

The 54-months ARCADIA project is led by ART-ER, which is the Emilia-Romagna Joint Stock Consortium born with the purpose of fostering the region’s sustainable growth by developing innovation and knowledge, attractiveness, and internationalisation of the territory. GDi participates in a consortium led by REGEA for the preparation and implementation of pilot projects in the city of Zagreb and the Krapina-Zagorje County through the application of digital tools, all aimed at finding and enabling the most acceptable natural solutions for adapting to climate change and transformation towards resilience in both urban and rural areas.

• ARCADIA recognizes the importance of adapting NBS locally. To achieve this, the project will engage in the following strategic objectives:Co-design regional strategies to accelerate transformative adaptation: ARCADIA will work collaboratively with communities to accelerate transformative adaptation by building upon and mainstreaming innovative, actionable NBS with demonstrated feasibility, effectiveness, and social value.
• Assist and empower communities, public administrations, and businesses: the project will empower communities, public administrations, and businesses by providing them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and guidance to effectively implement NBS.
• Stimulate collaborative knowledge building and transfer, developing capacities and capabilities: ARCADIA aims to stimulate collaborative knowledge building and transfer, developing capacities and capabilities within the participating regions.
• Promote Coherence and Exploit Synergies: the project seeks to promote coherence and exploit synergies across various sectors, value chains, and public and private spheres of business innovation.
• Advance EU Research & Innovation Agenda: ARCADIA is committed to advancing the EU research & innovation agenda on NBS and EU Mission Adaptation.

In pursuit of these objectives, ARCADIA will implement 15 co-innovation labs, engaging communities and societal partners. These labs will facilitate the co-development of regional ambitions, methodologies, and approaches, ensuring a bottom-up approach to adaptation.

ARCADIA has designed ambitious action workflows in eight model and fellow (replicating) regions from across the EU continental bio-geographic regions. The project will analyze individual and socially determined perceptions of risks and solutions, experimentally designing incentives and behavioral nudges to foster social acceptance and community actions. Learning across policy areas will be leveraged to upscale and deploy solutions at a large scale in the participating regions, supported by robust policy and economic tools, including regulations, funding schemes, business models, and investment tools.

About ARCADIA
The ARCADIA project is funded under the Call: HORIZON-MISS-2022-CLIMA-01 (Research and Innovation actions in support of the implementation of the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission); Topic: HORIZON-MISS-2022-CLIMA-01-06; Type of Action: HORIZON-IA, proposal number: 101112737. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101112737

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