GRACE: INOVA+ joins €8 million project to tackle climate change adaptation in rural areas

INOVA+ has taken a decisive step towards strengthening climate change adaptation in sparsely populated areas by spearheading the Baixo Alentejo Rural Climate Resilience Group, as part of the European GRACE project – Growing Climate Resilience in Remote Rural Areas through Community Empowerment.

The project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme, is a 48-month Innovation Action with a total budget of almost €8 million and a consortium of 27 organisations from 16 countries, coordinated by CMCC – Fondazione Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, in Italy.

GRACE aims to strengthen the climate resilience of remote rural regions by promoting participatory approaches and innovative solutions that can be replicated in different European contexts.

The Baixo Alentejo as a European demonstration region

The climate risks affecting the Baixo Alentejo make the region a model for the implementation of the project. Heatwaves, droughts and wildfires are causes for concern that require effective solutions to tackle them. However, in addition to these factors, the region faces structural challenges that increase its vulnerability to climate change: low population density; an ageing population; and dependence on natural resources.

Thus, the GRACE project will bring pilot interventions to the Baixo Alentejo aimed at strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and local communities.

In the montado, solutions will be implemented focusing on soil regeneration, water retention and the enhancement of biodiversity. In the steppes, innovative approaches will be tested to increase the resilience of pastures to drought and extreme heat.

These actions will be supported by monitoring and decision-support tools, enabling local producers and communities to adopt more sustainable practices adapted to the new climatic conditions.

The Role of INOVA+ and the Establishment of the Baixo Alentejo Rural Climate Resilience Group

INOVA+ plays a key role throughout the GRACE project, taking responsibility for developing the methodology for establishing and activating the Rural Climate Resilience Groups (RCRGs) across the project’s ten regions, as well as for defining their operational guidelines and supporting regional partners in their implementation.

These Groups will operate throughout the duration of the project and function as participatory governance platforms that bring together local and regional stakeholders to co-design, implement and monitor climate change adaptation strategies.

Responsible for coordinating the interventions of the Baixo Alentejo Intermunicipal Community, the Polytechnic Institute of Beja and the Mértola Biological Station, INOVA+ played a key role in establishing the Baixo Alentejo Rural Climate Resilience Group, whose priority is to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach, which is fundamental for developing effective solutions tailored to the regional context.

The Group’s first meeting took place in the region and marked the start of a structured process of co-creation with the region’s key stakeholders.

The participants presented the next stages of implementation in the region and outlined the strategic role of the Rural Climate Resilience Group within the context of the project. The meeting culminated in a formal declaration of intent to join the Group by all the organisations present, demonstrating a strong collective commitment to building climate adaptation solutions developed with and for the region.

In addition to establishing the RCRGs, INOVA+ is also responsible for drawing up a roadmap for demonstrating climate adaptation actions, preparing an upscaling strategy and coordinating knowledge-sharing activities between regions.

Next Steps

The Baixo Alentejo will continue to play a leading role in the GRACE project by hosting the next consortium meeting in October. This meeting will bring together partners from 23 organisations across 16 European countries, providing a strategic opportunity to share results, strengthen inter-regional cooperation and consolidate the area as a demonstration region representative of the Mediterranean context.