For the first time, the NURISH project participated in the European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO), one of Europe’s leading events on climate adaptation and resilience, held this year in Guimarães, Portugal.
NURISH was represented by Theocharis Nazos from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and David Salaberri from BIOAZUL. Throughout the event, they engaged with policymakers, researchers, regional authorities and practitioners from across Europe, presenting the project’s work on strengthening climate resilience in rural and island communities.
One of the most remarkable outcomes of NURISH’s participation was the strong interest shown by attendees in the project’s approach to rural resilience. While many discussions at EURESFO traditionally focus on urban environments, numerous participants were eager to learn more about how Nature-based Solutions can support climate adaptation in rural and island territories facing challenges such as water scarcity, flooding, biodiversity loss and wildfire risk.
As part of the Marketplace area, NURISH shared a stand with the Horizon Europe project CARDIMED, both contributing to the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change through the implementation and promotion of Nature-based Solutions. The shared space provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the projects’ activities, exchange experiences with other European initiatives and connect with stakeholders interested in innovative approaches to climate resilience.
NURISH also co-organised the interactive workshop “Greener Regions, Real Impact: Beyond Buzzwords to Make Nature-based Solutions Work” together with CARDIMED, LAND4CLIMATE, NBRACER, DesirMED, MountResilience and Commit2Green. The session brought together regional authorities, researchers and practitioners to discuss practical pathways for accelerating and mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions across Europe. Participants explored key topics including governance, citizen engagement, financing mechanisms, water resilience, wildfire adaptation and spatial planning.
Within the workshop, NURISH led a dedicated discussion table on island resilience. Represented by Theocharis Nazos, the session focused on seasonal water resilience in island areas and explored how Nature-based Solutions can help address flooding, water scarcity and wildfire risks under increasing summer population pressure. The discussion drew on the experience of NURISH Resilience Hub 1 on the island of Skiathos, highlighting practical measures and governance approaches that can support more resilient island communities. The exchange generated valuable conversations on how islands can strengthen their adaptive capacity while balancing environmental protection, tourism and local development.
The event also provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration with other European projects and regional stakeholders working towards climate adaptation and resilience. With more than 420 participants from 42 countries, over 140 speakers and 25 projects represented in the Marketplace area, EURESFO 2026 once again demonstrated the growing momentum behind Nature-based Solutions and the importance of fostering cooperation across sectors and territories.
NURISH’s successful participation marks an important milestone for the project and reinforces its commitment to supporting resilient, sustainable and climate-ready rural and island regions across Europe.