Tangata Whenua, the Māori indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand have an intrinsic connection to whenua (land), wai (water) and all living beings. This connection encompasses a respect for te Taiao (our natural world), mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and tikanga (traditional practices). By recognising the interdependence of the land, water and people and valuing the wisdom of indigenous communities we can create a sustainable and inclusive world where all living beings thrive.

This time will be reflected on in the future with much interest. Have we been good ancestors? It’s not hard to think of examples of where we fall short on this question. Te Taiao our natural world, is struggling under increasing pressure and we are not meeting the needs of our most vulnerable. Inequity, climate change, biodiversity loss, colonisation, poor housing and poverty are affecting our people and our communities deeply.

This may be where we are now, but it does not need to be the story of our generation. We have an opportunity to deliver change by working together, thinking differently, and moving quickly.

The concept of Te Mana o te Wai, the authority of water, is a holistic approach in Aotearoa to address the challenges faced by a nation, regions and communities. It is a fundamental principle for tangata whenua, that water is sacred and important, recognising it as a living entity with mauri (life force) and that it carries significant intrinsic value - culturally, spiritually and environmentally. Clean water is essential for maintaining the health of our waterbodies, freshwater ecosystems and the communities that rely upon them for their sustenance and wellbeing.

Wakatū www.wakatu.org and Whakarewa www.nrait.co.nz are kaitiaki (stewards) in Te Tauihu, the top of the South Island of Aotearoa, and our relationship with water for customary and commercial purposes is vital to sustain our businesses, our people and way of life. We aspire to be leaders in water stewardship, with practices that encourage healthy ecosystems and sustainable water management. We think and act intergenerationally (500 years) guided by our tūpuna, ancestors and tikanga, traditional practices, for the benefit of current and future generations. We will share insights and programmes relating to Te Mana o te Wai and the importance of collaboration both locally and nationally with a focus on Tūpuna AuOra (Aotearoa Climatorium) and Klimatorium, Denmark.

By Mereama Chase and Miriana Stephens, New Zealand  

Mereama belongs to the indigenous tribal groups of Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngai Tuhoe in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and in Māori Studies. Mereama lives in Wellington with her husband Andrew and three children. Mereama serves on the Board of the Whakarewa Trust. The Trust is charged with kaitiakitanga (stewardship) of the Whakarewa lands – over 900 acres of largely coastal and low-lying land in Te Tau Ihu. The Trust provides educational, social and cultural opportunities for its people. Mereama is also a senior leader in New Zealand’s central government and has extensive experience in public policy, public management and system improvement.

Tangata Whenua, the Māori indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand have an intrinsic connection to whenua (land), wai (water) and all living beings. This connection encompasses a respect for te Taiao (our natural world), mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and tikanga (traditional practices). By recognising the interdependence of the land, water and people and valuing the wisdom of indigenous communities we can create a sustainable and inclusive world where all living beings thrive.

This time will be reflected on in the future with much interest. Have we been good ancestors? It’s not hard to think of examples of where we fall short on this question. Te Taiao our natural world, is struggling under increasing pressure and we are not meeting the needs of our most vulnerable. Inequity, climate change, biodiversity loss, colonisation, poor housing and poverty are affecting our people and our communities deeply.

This may be where we are now, but it does not need to be the story of our generation. We have an opportunity to deliver change by working together, thinking differently, and moving quickly.

The concept of Te Mana o te Wai, the authority of water, is a holistic approach in Aotearoa to address the challenges faced by a nation, regions and communities. It is a fundamental principle for tangata whenua, that water is sacred and important, recognising it as a living entity with mauri (life force) and that it carries significant intrinsic value - culturally, spiritually and environmentally. Clean water is essential for maintaining the health of our waterbodies, freshwater ecosystems and the communities that rely upon them for their sustenance and wellbeing.

Wakatū www.wakatu.org and Whakarewa www.nrait.co.nz are kaitiaki (stewards) in Te Tauihu, the top of the South Island of Aotearoa, and our relationship with water for customary and commercial purposes is vital to sustain our businesses, our people and way of life. We aspire to be leaders in water stewardship, with practices that encourage healthy ecosystems and sustainable water management. We think and act intergenerationally (500 years) guided by our tūpuna, ancestors and tikanga, traditional practices, for the benefit of current and future generations. We will share insights and programmes relating to Te Mana o te Wai and the importance of collaboration both locally and nationally with a focus on Tūpuna AuOra (Aotearoa Climatorium) and Klimatorium, Denmark.

By Mereama Chase and Miriana Stephens, New Zealand  

Miriana belongs to the indigenous tribal groups of Ngāti Rārua, Ngai Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui in Aotearoa. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (NZ History) and a Law Degree. She has four children and was awarded the 2016 Aotearoa NZ Māori Woman Business Leader award in recognition of outstanding success and excellence in business.

Miriana is a director for Wakatū Incorporation who are guided by their intergenerational 500-year vision, Te Pae Tawhiti. Miriana is currently leading AuOra™ which is an associated business of Wakatū that invests in intergenerational projects (Regional Strategy, Aotearoa NZ Climatorium) and nutrition and ingredient applications for digestive, brain, inflammatory and metabolic health challenges. AuOra™ is implementing their market entry plan for these applications in Japan. Miriana is also a director and trustee on agribusiness and research entities and is advising the New Zealand Government in the areas of agribusiness, Māori and national research priorities and climate change.

Despite the extensive introduction of a western lifestyle over the past 300 years, the Greenlandic population lives predominantly collectivist and still has many cultural traits that are far from the western lifestyle and culture. The population generally has a holistic approach to health, where access to nature, culture, Greenlandic food products and human relationships are essential for quality of life. The perception of time is not linear, but circular and multidimensional. Historically, traditional knowledge has not had much value for the Western approach to science and has not been used for a better understanding of nature and resources. Living conditions in Greenland are far from those in Denmark. Not everyone has running water or access to clean water. However, everyone has drunk from the water in the rivers and streams and eaten freshly caught fish caught from the rocks by the coast. They presentation will give an insight from the eyes of the Greenlandic people on how the western society can learn and be enriched by adding an indigenous perspective to their approach in looking for solutions.

Marie Kahlig is an anthropologist with a degree in Development and International Relations with a specialization in Arctic Studies at Aalborg University. Marie grew up in Greenland.

Marie is employed at The Greenland House (Det Grønlandske Hus) in Aarhus, Denmark and has in-depth knowledge about the Greenlandic culture and way of life and lives according to this. Marie is fluent in the Greenlandic language. The Greenland House (Det Grønlandske Hus) is an association that has been operating since 1972. It provides school information for all primary school levels as well as provides teaching and communication at high schools and educational institutions about Greenland and Greenlandic culture. Within social work, the house provides advice and guidance for everyone with a Greenlandic background and acts as a bridge builder between the Greenlandic and the Danish system. E.g. for professional actors, authorities and bodies in the Central Jutland region about Greenlandic culture. The house provides educational guidance for all Greenlandic students in the Central Denmark Region. In addition, the association acts as a voice for everyone with a Greenlandic background living in the Central Denmark Region.

Despite the extensive introduction of a western lifestyle over the past 300 years, the Greenlandic population lives predominantly collectivist and still has many cultural traits that are far from the western lifestyle and culture. The population generally has a holistic approach to health, where access to nature, culture, Greenlandic food products and human relationships are essential for quality of life. The perception of time is not linear, but circular and multidimensional. Historically, traditional knowledge has not had much value for the Western approach to science and has not been used for a better understanding of nature and resources. Living conditions in Greenland are far from those in Denmark. Not everyone has running water or access to clean water. However, everyone has drunk from the water in the rivers and streams and eaten freshly caught fish caught from the rocks by the coast. They presentation will give an insight from the eyes of the Greenlandic people on how the western society can learn and be enriched by adding an indigenous perspective to their approach in looking for solutions.

Tanja Nielsen is educated Cand. Scientist. in Chemistry at Aarhus University. Tanja was born and raised in Greenland and has taken the first part of her education in Alaska, where she also learned Iñupiaq (an Inuit language from northern Alaska). Tanja is employed at the Greenland House (Det Grønlandske Hus) in Aarhus, Denmark and has an in-depth knowledge of and lives according to the Greenlandic culture and way of life. Tanja is fluent in Greenlandic.

The Greenland House (Det Grønlandske Hus) is an association that has been operating since 1972. It provides school information for all primary school levels as well as provides teaching and communication at high schools and educational institutions about Greenland and Greenlandic culture. Within social work, the house provides advice and guidance for everyone with a Greenlandic background and acts as a bridge builder between the Greenlandic and the Danish system. E.g. for professional actors, authorities and bodies in the Central Jutland region about Greenlandic culture. The house provides educational guidance for all Greenlandic students in the Central Denmark Region. In addition, the association acts as a voice for everyone with a Greenlandic background living in the Central Denmark Region.

The climate crisis already is impacting human civilisation across the world and the impacts will only grow in the future as the climate continues to warm. However, every country, city, town and individual will experience these effects differently, depending on their geographical location, their sensitivity to these changes and ability to adapt. Localised and relevant information is therefore critical for adapting to and coping with to the changes that are coming.
Denmark is a safe country but we are low lying and flat. Historically we have had serious floods, but many years have passed between them. But what does Denmark’s risk of flooding really look like, especially if we are faced with several weather events happening simultaneously?
Mark Payne will describe how climate data can be converted to climate information for use in climate adaptation planning, using Klimaatlas, the Danish National Climate Atlas, and the Danish town of Lemvig, as examples. Future climate change will bring a warmer and wetter climate to Denmark and Lemvig, with challenges from extreme weather events and particularly from sea level rise. This information is integrated in climate action plans at the municipal level, and ultimately informs concrete action that makes our society more robust to the challenges that lie ahead.

Dr. Mark R. Payne is a climate researcher and the scientific leader of Klimaatlas, the Danish National Climate Atlas, based at the National Center for Climate Research at the Danish Meterological Institute (DMI). Originally from New Zealand, he has a background and PhD in Chemical Engineering, and has worked as a researcher on climate effects on life in the ocean for much of the last two decades. He is the author of more than 50 scientific articles, and has contributed to the IPCC reports. In his current role he is responsible for building a bridge between the society’s needs for climate information on the one hand, and the climate data generated by climate science on the other. Klimaatlas provides such information all the way down to the local level, and currently forms the scientific basis for climate adaptation activities in all 98 local authorities in Denmark.

This presentation will provide an overview of Edmonton’s award winning Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan (SIRP) focused on the adaptation and mitigation of flooding impacts for the community. The strategy considers both riverine and urban flooding risks and approaches risk mitigation from the perspective of the health and safety, environmental, social and financial impacts of flooding. The session will also provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities in Canada between the insurance sector, the utility and municipal/provincial and federal government entities and efforts underway to improve communications and awareness of risk reductions as communities mitigate their flooding risks.

Susan Ancel is the Director of One Water Planning for EPCOR Water Services in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, responsible for the development of the strategic plans for the water, sanitary and storm water systems in Edmonton. Through this role she is responsible for the implementation of an Integrated Resource Plan for flood mitigation that considers capital and operational risk mitigation planning, as well as the interrelationships between utilities, insurance, disaster response agencies and the public. Susan is a Mechanical engineer with over 35 years’ experience with the municipal utility sector. She has also served on numerous industry committees including the Board of Directors for GITA and as a member of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy – Disaster Resiliency Table. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Canadian Water Network and the Climate Reality Project-Canada. In 2021, Susan was recognized with a Clean 50 award for her work in the development of the Stormwater Integrated Resources Plan for the City of Edmonton.

Aotearoa New Zealand is situated on the opposite side of the globe, surrounded by water. A country that is very similar to Denmark in terms of lifestyle, but a different climate and landscape which is particularly exposed to the forces of nature in the form of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions etc. In January 2023, Aotearoa New Zealand declared a state of emergency due to extreme rain. In one day, New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, measured twice as much rain as we in Denmark measured in the entire month of January, which was even our wettest January ever measuring 124.5mm of rain! In Auckland they measured 539mm of rain in January!

Over the past 12 months, Aotearoa New Zealand has experienced numerous severe weather events, overwhelming response systems and highlighting the crucial role of community resilience in the face of climate change.

As the risk of water in extremes increases as our planet warms, community networks and informal responses to severe events will become as important as the formalised civil defence structures – but how do we build this resilience and integrate it into existing systems?

Rohan O’Neill-Stevens is a politician, activist, resource management commissioner, and campaigner. First elected to Nelson City Council in 2019, as its youngest ever councillor, they were appointed Deputy Mayor in 2022.

Rohan is involved in a range of local and national organisations, with a focus on climate action, arts and creativity, urban development, indigenous self-determination, and youth engagement and development. They’ve worked extensively in bringing regional challenges into national discussions, and encouraging an intersectional, intergenerational approach to decision-making.

In addition to their role as Deputy Mayor, Rohan serves as the President of the New Zealand Local Authority Traffic Institute, advocating for safe and sustainable transport, and as Chair of the Showquest Charitable Trust, New Zealand’s biggest performing arts competition.

Pesticides and pollution are appearing in more and more places and in worrying amounts. Even if we are not the polluting source, how can we protect ourselves from pollution when water moves freely?

The Baltic Sea is a closed body of water that is affected by water inflows from the North Sea. Hear about how HELCOM work and their focus on creating the best conditions for the marine environment in the Baltic Sea.

Lotta Ruokanen works as a Professional Secretary at the Secretariat of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM). Some of her main responsibilities are to coordinate, support implementation and develop the regional environmental policy work on management of nutrients and hazardous substances and sustainable agricultural practices as well as coherent and ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning. In practice this means for example facilitating the work of the related Working Groups and Expert Groups, supervision of related project activities and coordinating the work of the experts in these fields at the Secretariat. Her tasks include also linking HELCOM processes to other international frameworks and marine environment protection policies in the EU, among Regional Seas Conventions and globally.

Lotta has a Master's degree in limnology and another one in environmental engineering (processing industry). Her earlier career includes e.g. developing and coordinating an international water protection network initiative with over 300 organizations, preparing and coordinating implementation of local multidisciplinary Baltic Sea action plans for cities, several international regional water management projects, serving as the Secretary General for an environmental NGO Finnish Nature Association and coordinating operational Algaline phytoplankton monitoring and algal bloom information services of the Baltic Sea.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been detected in the global oceans and atmosphere. Laboratory and field studies conducted by our research group have demonstrated that PFAAs in seawater are re-emitted to the air with natural marine aerosol, more specifically known as sea spray aerosol (SSA). In this presentation, Ian will present the latest experimental, field and modelling research on this topic and demonstrate how SSA-transport of PFAAs can impact land. Evidence has emerged in Denmark that levels of PFAAs are elevated in coastal regions despite there being no obvious sources. It remains uncertain, however, what the contribution of SSA transport is to atmospheric deposition of PFAAs to land. While modelling of transport and deposition undertaken in our research group indicates the importance of SAA transport and deposition of PFAAs in coastal regions, there is currently little empirical evidence for these impacts. In this presentation, Ian will present approaches for demonstrating that coastal zones in Denmark are impacted by PFAAs through short-range transport and deposition of relatively large SSA particles with short atmospheric lifetimes. In our planned research we intend to: 1) measure PFAAs in different aerosol size fractions near the coast using a cascade impactor, 2) measure wet and dry deposition of PFAAs using automatic wet/dry deposition samplers along a gradient from the sea to inland sampling locations, 3) measure levels of PFAAs in surface environmental media (soils, vegetation, surface water and groundwater) along the same sea-inland gradient, and 4) model SSA emission of PFAAs in the surf zone and short-range SSA transport and deposition of PFAAs to land to explain available empirical data.

Ian Cousins is a Professor in Environmental Organic Chemistry at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University in Sweden. He leads a research group focusing on understanding the sources, transport, fate and exposure of organic contaminants. He has conducted research on PFAS for more than 20 years. Ian has published about 200 peer-reviewed journal articles. He is current coordinator of the PERFORCE3 project, which is a Europe-wide multi-partner doctoral research training programme in the field of PFAS coordinated by Stockholm University and funded by Horizon 2020. Ian is also work package leader in the ZeroPM project, which is a multipartner research project funded by Horizon 2020 and targeting PFAS and vPvB/PMT substances. Ian is Associate Editor of Environmental Science and Technology and Environmental Au.

Danish drinking water supply is based 99,9 % on the use of groundwater, that can be distributed after a simple water treatment by aeration and filtration in sandfilters. During decades there has been concern of contamination of groundwater resources and drinking water wells.

The presenter will give a historical review of contaminants from oil products and chlorinated solvents to pesticides and in recent years poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). History shows that early warnings of use of pesticides with persistent and mobile metabolites were neglected. The current state shows, that use of pesticides 25-50 years ago, has resulted in present problems with contaminated drinking water wells. Recent studies show that contaminants in urban areas occur from washout from building materials and painted surfaces. The presentation will also provide a status for the current and potential future PFAS impact on ground- and drinking water from point sources such as fire training areas and landfills as well as from diffuse sources such as spreading of biosolids and sludge from water treatment plants on farmland. New studies show that PFAS in low concentrations in sea water through enrichment by sea spray can pose a threat to ground water and drinking water wells in coastal areas.

The presenter will give his view on future contaminants, and the demand for future regulation of chemicals to ensure that we reduce the use of persistent compounds/metabolites to a minimum. In order to secure clean and healthy drinking water for present and future generations, there must be a two-pronged approach with advanced water treatment in combination with preventive actions including remediation of contaminated sites (hotspots) and ground water protection by management in catchments areas.

Søren Rygaard Lenschow has worked in the field of contaminated soil, groundwater and drinking water for more than 25 years. His professional experiences have included site investigations and remediation of a wide range of contaminants including oil products, chlorinated solvents, pesticides and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). Søren has been working in the cross field of geology, geo-chemistry, contaminant chemistry, hydrology and the insight in history of industrial and agro-industry development. Over a decade Søren has been a leading expert in Denmark on the impact of pesticides use on Danish groundwater and drinking water wells including assessment of contamination from point sources, where pesticides have been handled or disposed. In recent years Søren has been investigating the impact of PFAS on groundwater, surface waters and soil from fire training sites, landfills, use of biosolids and sludge on farmland and other sources. Since 2022 Søren has had a particular focus on investigating and understanding the impact of PFAS from sea spray on groundwater, surface water, soil etc. in coastal regions. Søren is an experienced teacher and lecturer.

Søren Rygaard Lenschow holds a master degree in environmental engineering from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Søren works as a senior specialist at NIRAS, a value-driven, multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy fundamentally committed to sustainable progress and service delivery.

Water has always been an important area for the Netherlands and the country has built up great knowledge based on experience within both solutions and management. Together with Denmark, the Netherlands seeks to show global leadership within solutions to climate change. Earlier this year, the Netherlands, together with Tajikistan, hosted the UN water conference in New York, where they sought to increase the objective to implement concrete water solutions. But what about the local challenges and roles? How does the Netherlands solve the management tasks at home and how is the water area financed? In this post, we get inspiration from the Netherlands together with an overview of how the country has chosen to manage its water sector.

As Senior Policy Officer at the Dutch Embassy, Atle works to ensure stronger ties between the Netherlands and Denmark in the areas of water and energy; both between authorities, research institutions, NGO’s and companies. The water area is characterized by its complexity and essential role in several industries, and in that area both Denmark and the Netherlands can learn from each other. With his experience in working with the energy transition, Atle has also worked with both water infrastructure and hydrogen. In both areas, Denmark and the Netherlands have big plans for expanding offshore and developing hydrogen infrastructure.

A pivotal point in transitioning from fossil fuel consumption to green energy is the ability to store energy from sustainable sources such as wind or sun. This is the role of the Power-to-X industry (PtX), which has been gaining momentum, also in Denmark, during the last years. More than 28 production sites have been announced so far in Denmark alone, and if it becomes an reality, their production capacity will already exceed the government’s goal for 6 terra watts by 2030. But as plants are being located based on the availability of green energy, many forget the importance of water as a resource for this new business venture.

The PtX industry in Denmark will be centered around hydrogen production. Hydrogen is produced by using green energy to separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen gas, making water essential for a successful industry, and thereby a greener economy. PtX facilities will need massive amounts of water and will locally, in many cases, increase the water demand from the local utility by 50-100%. Using valuable drinking water from our deep groundwater aquifers seem unsustainable in this context. A solution could be found in climate change related challenges in our society with managing excess surface water. Denmark is subject to increasing amounts of precipitation each year, and many areas are already battling flooding, in particular of agricultural fields. We will dive into the opportunities and synergies that the PtX-industry create for new ways of managing climate change related water in our society, while protecting drinking water reserves. We will look into the political aspects, as there are both opportunities and barriers, and we will look into the benefits and necessity of finding new solutions across sectors.

Carsten Kissmeyer is the former director of the Business School in Ikast, mayor of Ikast Municipality and Ikast-Brande Municipality, regional member (2nd vice-chairman) in the Central Jutland region and most recently Member of Parliament for the Liberal party. Carsten, as a former rapporteur for supply, has an in-depth knowledge of the political conditions in the climate, energy and water area.

As mayor of Ikast-Brande Municipality, which has been voted Denmark's best business municipality on many occasions, Carsten has extensive experience with what is required to create the best conditions for businesses. As a politician, Carsten is of the opinion that it is not possible to remotely control supplies from a central team.

Water provides life, opportunities and challenges. But water isn’t just water; we look at surface water, groundwater and water that runs along our coastlines. At the same time as having to deal with more extreme rain, we are looking into longer periods of drought, and water management is central to both of these. It needs to be seen in a context. There is a need to work closely together to ensure integrity and that the right solutions are created. There is no actor who can do this alone and cohesion and coordinating efforts are needed to increase common thinking and cooperation. Therein lies great potential for better solutions to floods, droughts and water management across the board.

Whether it is a challenge to find the right narrowing of fjord systems to protect against flooding in the Limfjord or it is who will suffer from flooding in transverse streams, then it must be solved in partnerships across actors. The Central Denmark Region today has a facilitating and supporting role, and this work would have an even greater effect if it took place on the basis of a uniform structure across the country, so that there is an overall prioritization of projects and public funds. The approach will also make it possible to organize the repatriation of EU funding in a more systematic and targeted manner in the long run.

Throughout his career, Rolf Johnsen has worked with a wide range of environmental tasks. The tasks range from authority and administrative tasks to development tasks within climate adaptation, water management to reduction of resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. During his career, he has led a number of national and international projects in these areas.

As office manager in the Central Denmark Region, the team’s focus is environment and climate related tasks. The tasks require a good and dialogue-based cooperation with the municipalities in particular, but also a number of other actors - for example companies, knowledge institutions and not the least the citizens. Furthermore, Rolf is involved in a number of national and international networks and projects. Here we can mention ENCORE (European network among regions in Europe on climate and environment), Climate Alliance (National project as an extension of DK2020), KlimaMidt (Regional network to support the implementation of climate action plans).

Rolf works, based on a water and climate expert basis, purposefully for change and focus on the regional role in the green transition to support better and faster adaptation and mitigation.

Increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions due to climate change concomitant with unsustainable historical resource use and management practices create the perfect storm - threatening our livelihoods, wellbeing, and environment across Europe and around the world. In addition to substantial efforts to mitigate climate change, for example by reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, a wide range of activities designed to adapt to our changing climate and to build resilience to the impacts of climate change are on-going. The EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change provides top-down guidance concerning national and sub-national actions aligned with the Strategy’s core objectives of smarter, faster, and more systemic transformation to climate resilience across Europe. These top-down objectives must be effectively linked with bottom-up initiatives involving cross-sectoral innovation jointly created with stakeholders to develop smarter, more inclusive, and more resilient local and regional ecosystems. Innovative ideas that support climate change adaptation efforts abound, as do frameworks and methods for stakeholder engagement and collaborative actions. Local and regional scale innovations emerging from collaborative actions empower communities to develop a common vision and co-create locally adapted solutions that deliver a wide range of co-benefits. The knowledge gained through experiences with relatively small-scale innovation actions in support of climate change adaptation can be leveraged to upscale and mainstream novel technologies and practices that effectively link top-down and bottom-up initiatives, yielding multiple social, environmental, and economic benefits.

Laura Wendling leads the Nature-Based Solutions research team at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Her research involves multidisciplinary innovation aimed at adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change, broadly focusing on the development of novel technologies and practices to build resilience to climate change in human influenced systems. Laura is the coordinator of the Horizon Europe project Regions4Climate (www.regions4climate.eu). The Regions4Climate project supports the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change by working together with local stakeholders in 12 diverse European regions to develop and demonstrate cross-sectoral technological and nature-based innovations that increase social, economic, and environmental resilience to the impacts of climate change. Laura previously coordinated the Horizon 2020 project Urban Nature Labs (www.unalab.eu). The Urban Nature Labs project collaborated with local stakeholders through the establishment of Living Labs to create, implement, and evaluate the benefits, cost-effectiveness, economic viability, and replicability of nature-based solutions for climate and water resilience.