NURISH and CARDIMED participated in EURESFO 2026, bringing rural and island resilience to the forefront
The NURISH project participated in the European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO), one of Europe’s leading events dedicated to climate adaptation and resilience. Held this year in Guimarães, Portugal, the Forum brought together policymakers, researchers, regional authorities, practitioners and representatives of European projects to exchange knowledge and advance practical responses to climate-related challenges.
NURISH was represented by Theocharis Nazos (NURISH RH1 leader) from the Sanitary Engineering Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens, David Salaberri (NURISH communication and dissemination leader) from BIOAZUL, and Anna Klose (NURISH capacity building leader) from Fraunhofer IAS. Throughout the event, they presented the project’s work and engaged with stakeholders from across Europe, highlighting the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in strengthening the resilience of rural and island communities.
Expanding the climate resilience discussion beyond cities
One of the most significant outcomes of NURISH’s participation was the strong interest shown in the project’s approach to rural resilience. Although discussions at EURESFO traditionally focus primarily on urban environments, many participants were keen to explore how Nature-based Solutions can also support rural and island territories facing interconnected challenges such as water scarcity, flooding, biodiversity loss and wildfire risk.
These territories often experience additional pressures arising from geographical isolation, limited infrastructure, seasonal population fluctuations and dependence on climate-sensitive economic activities such as tourism and agriculture. NURISH contributes to addressing this gap by developing and demonstrating solutions that respond to the specific environmental, social and governance conditions of rural areas and islands.
NURISH and CARDIMED at the EURESFO Marketplace
As part of the EURESFO Marketplace, NURISH shared an exhibition stand with the Horizon Europe project CARDIMED. Both projects contribute to the objectives of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change through the implementation, demonstration and wider uptake of Nature-based Solutions - and are both coordinated by SEL NTUA.
The shared space provided an excellent opportunity to present the projects’ activities, exchange knowledge with other European initiatives and connect with regions and stakeholders interested in innovative approaches to climate resilience. It also highlighted the value of collaboration among European projects working towards common climate adaptation goals.
Moving from discussion to real impact
NURISH also co-organised the interactive workshop:
“Greener Regions, Real Impact: Beyond Buzzwords to Make Nature-based Solutions Work”
The session was organised in collaboration with the Horizon Europe projects CARDIMED, LAND4CLIMATE, NBRACER, DesirMED, MountResilience and Commit2Green.
Bringing together regional authorities, researchers and practitioners, the workshop focused on practical pathways for accelerating and mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions across Europe. Participants discussed critical enabling factors, including governance, citizen engagement, financing mechanisms, water resilience, wildfire adaptation and spatial planning.
The interactive format encouraged participants to move beyond broad concepts and examine the practical conditions required for Nature-based Solutions to deliver measurable, long-term benefits for regions and communities.
A dedicated discussion on island resilience
Within the workshop, NURISH led a dedicated discussion table on island resilience, represented by Theocharis Nazos. The session focused on seasonal water resilience in island territories and explored how Nature-based Solutions can help address flooding, water scarcity and wildfire risks under the increasing pressure created by summer population growth.
Drawing on the experience of NURISH Resilience Hub 1 on the island of Skiathos, the discussion highlighted practical measures and governance approaches that can support more resilient island communities. Particular attention was given to the need to balance environmental protection with tourism activity, local development and the sustainable management of limited natural resources.
The exchange generated valuable insights into how islands can strengthen their adaptive capacity through locally appropriate solutions, cross-sectoral cooperation and the active participation of communities and local authorities.
Strengthening cooperation for climate-ready regions
With more than 420 participants from 42 countries, over 140 speakers and 25 projects represented in the Marketplace, EURESFO 2026 demonstrated the growing momentum behind Nature-based Solutions and the importance of cooperation across sectors, territories and governance levels.
NURISH’s first participation in the Forum marks an important milestone for the project. It provided a valuable platform to share its work, strengthen connections with other European initiatives and bring greater visibility to the distinct climate adaptation needs of rural and island territories.
The strong response from participants confirmed the growing demand for innovative solutions that extend beyond urban areas and address the realities of communities that are often more exposed to climate risks while having fewer resources available to respond.
NURISH remains committed to supporting resilient, sustainable and climate-ready rural and island regions across Europe, ensuring that these territories have a central place in Europe’s transition towards a more adaptive and nature-positive future.
