Empowering local authorities through collaborative climate resilience research: findings from five South-European regions

Southern European countries, particularly those in the Mediterranean region face a disproportionate impact from global warming due to their already hot and arid summer climates. These areas are increasingly experiencing extreme heatwaves, prolonged droughts, and severe fluvial and pluvial flooding, which often result in critical situations and cities struggling to cope with these challenges. In the European project ClimEmpower (climempower.eu), funded under the Horizon Europe program, we are collaborating with local stakeholders in five South-European regions strengthen their capacity to address these pressing climate-related challenges and build resilience for the future. 

Our primary goal is to support local authorities in addressing climate risks and improving their adaptive capacity. To achieve this, Communities of Practice (CoP) were established to enable knowledge exchange, identify regional needs, and co-create climate-resilient strategies. Using a transdisciplinary approach, we assessed data and climate services, engaged stakeholders to address key challenges, and identified critical gaps alongside methods to address them. 

A key focus was on developing and refining resilience indicators, ensuring they are actionable and meaningful for local adaptation efforts. Researchers collaborated closely with regional stakeholders through surveys, meetings, and CoP discussions to gather input, identify gaps, and tailor solutions. This partnership integrated scientific expertise with local knowledge and priorities, emphasizing the importance of indicator relevance over quantity. The study concluded that building stakeholder capacity and focusing on effective, context-specific indicators are essential for creating pathways to enhance climate resilience.