The European project NATMed has come to an end after three years of analysis and research into the effectiveness of implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in existing water infrastructures. Researchers, policymakers and industry professionals gathered on 11 and 12 March in Istanbul (Turkey) for the project’s seventh periodic meeting and final conference, where key strategies to strengthen water resilience in the Mediterranean basin were presented.
During the event, participants outlined the main challenges, tools and lessons learned from the five case studies developed within the NATMed project, located in Seville (Spain), Arborea (Italy), Florina (Greece), Tenedos (Turkey) and Algeria. Contributions from the PRIMA Foundation (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area) in this field were also highlighted.
In addition, experiences from other related Mediterranean initiatives, such as OurMED, CARDIMED EU and SCORE, were presented, showcasing how Nature-based Solutions can address regional water management challenges. The conference included an interactive session and a policy roundtable, which provided a platform to discuss how to move from pilot projects to large-scale implementation, addressing key aspects such as barriers, governance, the need for empirical data and political support.
The NATMed project consortium is composed of CARTIF, Environment and Water Agency, Social Climate, Tero PC, Environmental Center of Region of Western Macedonia, University of Sassari, Demir Enerji, University of the Aegean, Izmir Institute Technology, SBNCLIMA, Research & Scientific Technical Center Sur Les Régions Aride, Municipality of Bozcaada, the University of Cagliari and the University of Western Macedonia.