New HORIZON 2020 project aims to build an ecosystem for innovative climate change adaptation solutions

ARSINOE intends to accelerate resilience by delivering regional ecosystems that develop and implement innovative climate change adaptation measures and solutions across Europe.

A multidisciplinary and cross-sectorial approach is required to acknowledge that climate change is complex and strongly connected to other global challenges, such as food security, water scarcity, biodiversity depletion, and environmental degradation.

The four-year ARSINOE project, starting in October 1, 2021 will develop a methodological framework for combining the Systems Innovation Approach (SIA) with the Climate Innovation Window (CIW). It will create an ecosystem to meet EU Green Deal targets for specific regions under a three-tier approach:

1. integration of multi-faceted technological, digital, business, governance and environmental aspects with social innovation for the development of adaptation pathways to climate change
2. linkage with CIW to form innovation packages by matching innovators with end-users/regions
3. fostering the ecosystem sustainability and growth with cross-fertilization and replication across scales, at the European level and beyond, using appropriate business models and exploitation-outreach actions.

Nine widely varied regions across Europe will demonstrate the ARSINOE three-tier approach as a proof-of-concept regarding its applicability, replicability, potential and efficacy. The regions are: (i) Athens metropolitan area (EL), (ii) Mediterranean ports including Port of Piraeus (EL), Limassol (CY) and Valencia (ES), (iii) Main river in Germany (DE), (iv) transboundary Ochrid/Prespa lakes (MK, AL, EL), (v) Canary Islands (ES), (vi) transboundary Black Sea including Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey (RO, BG and TR), (vii) Southern Denmark (DK), (viii) Torbay and Devon county (UK) and (ix) the Mediterranean island Sardinia (IT).

Check out the ARSINOE YouTube video to find out more about the project.