Growing Climate Resilience in Remote rural Areas through Community Empowerment (GRACE)
| Title | Growing Climate Resilience in Remote rural Areas through Community Empowerment (GRACE) |
| Abbreviation | GRACE |
| Programme | Horizon Europe |
Project partners
- Fondazione Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC) (Italy) (project coordinators)
- INOVA+ – Innovation Services, SA (Portugal)
- International center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-IAMM) (France)
- VU Foundation (Stichting VU) (Netherlands)
- European Public Law Organization (EPLO) (Greece)
- European Association for Innovation in Local Development (AEIDL) (Belgium)
- Centre for Systems Solutions (Poland)
- European Science Communication Institute (ESCI) (Germany)
- Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics (BAB) (Austria)
- Aconium GmbH (Germany)
- Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS) (Germany)
- European Rural Development Network (Poland)
- Baixo Alentejo Municipal Community (CIMBAL) (Portugal)
- Gemeinsame Region Bucklige Welt – Wechselland (Austria)
- Comune di Cavallino Treporti (Italy)
- Perifereia Thessalias (Region of Thessaly) (Greece)
- Vidzeme Planning Region (Latvia)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) (Sweden)
- Region Västerbotten (Sweden)
- Aalborg Municipality (Denmark)
- Technical University of Denmark (DTU) (Denmark)
- Žilina Self-Governing Region (Slovakia)
- Zalishchyky City Council (Ukraine)
- EBM Biological Station of Mértola (Portugal)
- Polytechnic Institute of Beja (Portugal)
- Mayo County Council (Ireland)
Project objectives
The GRACE project aims to help remote rural regions in Europe adapt to climate change and strengthen their resilience by promoting community engagement, developing local capacities, and fostering innovation. The project seeks to develop and demonstrate multidimensional climate adaptation solutions that enhance social and economic viability, promote nature-based solutions, and improve local governance.Activities
- Community involvement in climate adaptation planning: mobilizing local stakeholders, conducting regional mapping, and co-creating visions and solution catalogues.
- Testing and demonstration of innovative solutions: community-led local interventions to reduce climate risks and enhance adaptive capacity.
- Development of knowledge and digital tools: data platforms, simulations, and AI-based panels to support decision-making.
- Replication of solutions and their adaptation in other regions.
- Maximizing impact: communication, education, public engagement, and policy recommendations.
Results
- Development of climate risk profiles and adaptation pathways for various rural regions, along with digital tools and platforms to model and plan solutions.
- Design and testing of over 30 innovative solutions – nature-based, social, digital, and economic models – demonstrated in five regions and transferred to others.
- Enhanced local community capacities through training, workshops, and participatory activities.
- Creation of policy recommendations and guidelines to improve climate resilience policies and integrate local experiences into the broader European context.
- Promotion of socioeconomic and environmental benefits, including cooperation networks, new green jobs, ecosystem restoration, and stronger community resilience.
Budget
Total budget: 12 349 972,50 EUR
VPR budget: 119 875,00 EUR
Implementation period
01.10.2025 - 30.09.2029
Contacts
Laila Gercāne
Phone: +371 29120536
Email: laila.gercane@vidzeme.lv
