Marina Menga, Author at Foresight

Climate adaptation is a collaborative effort

Day three at ECCA 2025 was all about collaboration and coordinated effort among institutions, public authorities, and stakeholders at all levels, towards the common good of enhancing resilience in our communities and cities. Adapting to climate change means aligning scientific insight with governance, finance, urban planning, and community voices. It also requires collaboration among different disciplines, with climate scientists collaborating with designers, architects, health experts, biologists, and even artists to bridge the gap between science and communities.

No adaptation without community engagement

The key takeaway from day two at ECCA2025 is simple: communities need to be involved in the entire adaptation process. Not just as recipients of information, but as active partners that help shape solutions. “This is all about people,” says Philippe Tulkens of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. It’s not about top-down strategies, but about building trust, enabling dialogue, and overcoming barriers together. Engagement is a two-way process that involves listening, adapting, and co-creating. The second day of ECCA was rich with discussions on engagement, trust, and resilience.

European Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2025_day one

The time is now: the European Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2025 has begun

Adaptation to climate change is not an issue of the future, it’s an imminent need that requires an effective action plan. Day one at ECCA2025 laid the groundwork for finding the most innovative solutions to tackle climate change – and how to implement them with effective policies. High-level representatives from European institutions, the business community, and the scientific world engaged in conversations on adaptation and plenary panels outlining the strategies, challenges and hopes for future adaptation before a crowd of 600+ people from all over the world.

Modelling the past, reflecting the future

What can history teach us about today’s world? What lessons can be learnt from an early medieval village and how can it shed light on the global challenges embodied in the climate crisis? Bridging past and present in a conversation with Helen Foxhall Forbes on climate, history, and human resilience.

Back from the enabling COP: Negotiators analyze outcomes from Baku

Climate finance was front and center, while a leading actor was relegated to a sideline role. In a CMCC webinar, negotiators returning from Baku take stock of key aspects of COP29, such as the complex context of the negotiations, decisions on the New Collective Quantified Goal, the Baku-to-Belem roadmap, news on the carbon market, global cooperation, and adaptation. Throughout, it emerges that bridging scientific insights with policy is more essential than ever to transform commitments into meaningful climate action.

case circondate dall'acqua sotto il cielo nuvoloso

COP29 Spotlight | Loss and Damage funding has to be at core of new climate finance regime

The focus of the ongoing COP is to decide on a new finance regime. Major polluters will be asked to massively increase their financial contributions to developing nations. Researchers from IIASA and CMCC show that Loss and Damage needs of vulnerable countries range between roughly 130 and 940 billion Dollars in 2025 alone. On top of money for mitigation and adaptation.

a giraffe in Nairobi National Park Gate, Nairobi, Kenya

COP29 Spotlight | The critical role of National Adaptation Plans for Least Developed Countries

As the world’s leaders, scientists, and policy experts gather for COP29 in Baku, discussions around National Adaptation Plans for the most vulnerable nations, particularly least developed countries, are poised to take center stage. With climate change disproportionately impacting these regions, scientific insight from CMCC researcher Caterina Guidi highlights that adaptation is not just a policy goal but an urgent necessity for survival and sustainable development.

Manifestations of chaos: The rise, fall and revival of the Koopman operator

Modeling and data-driven analysis are two essential pillars of climate science. The complex and chaotic nature of the climate system defies straightforward predictions like those possible with linear physical systems. A comprehensive theoretical framework for complexity could provide the context and tools to fully describe it. Could a century-old mathematical tool hold the key? The revival of the Koopman operator offers a promising path to achieve a more complete theoretical understanding of the climate system.

The grass is always greener, in my backyard: Perception and impacts of renewable energy

“Wind and solar energy are inherently free,” though research is crucial to understanding the true costs and benefits of renewable energy projects. As renewable energy evolves, with technical barriers dissolving and costs declining, challenges persist in navigating public perception and policy hurdles. CMCC researcher Wei Guo explores the multifaceted journey of overcoming historical obstacles and envisioning a sustainable transition, delving into the complexities that will shape our renewable energy future.

Surface air temperature anomalies in 2023. Credits: Copernicus Climate Change Service

Visual narratives: From science to engagement through the European State of the Climate

More than just colorful maps and eye-catching graphics. Data visualization enhances the readability of complex data, engages broader audiences, and sparks interest in the “state of the climate”. Anna Lombardi, climate data visualizer at the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), offers insight into what’s behind visual narratives for climate trends. Through innovative data visualizations, the latest C3S report enhances accessibility and engagement with climate science across all audiences.

Beyond material and design: Bridging urban climate adaptation to Europe

Urban environment and infrastructure design are among the intersections of local, national, and European adaptation policies. Evidence of these interactions is part of the New European Bauhaus, where architecture and creativity meet climate science and sustainable development goals.
We explore insights from the European Environment Agency (EEA) report ‘Urban Adaptation in Europe’, which analyses solutions to climate challenges.

Navigating coastal dynamics and building resilience

Around 40% of the global population resides on coasts, with many relying on coastal resources for sustenance. Climate change exacerbates coastal hazards, compelling decision-makers and asset owners to address coastal resilience. Delphine Lobelle, Climate & Nature advisor at Fugro, highlights the importance of understanding coastal dynamics to empower stakeholders and promote proactive measures for coastal resilience.

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Marina Menga

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