Think of wetlands as giant natural sponges that soak up water during wet periods and release it slowly during dry spells. This project tests how to build and manage these 'sponges' in cities and countryside to stop water shortages. It aims to prove that using nature is cheaper and more effective than building massive concrete pipes and tanks.
European cities and landscapes face increasing drought risks, but current water management often relies on expensive, rigid infrastructure. There is a lack of hard economic data to justify switching to nature-based wetland solutions.
The project is building a monitoring program and a set of hydrological, life cycle, and socioeconomic assessment tools based on 7 real-world wetland sites.
If you are a consultancy dealing with urban water scarcity — this project developed 7 wetland showcases that provide technical and economic evidence to replace expensive grey infrastructure with nature-based systems.
If you are a land manager dealing with aquifer depletion — this project developed monitoring tools and hydrological assessments that show how wetlands can recharge local groundwater levels.
If you are a service provider dealing with water purification needs — this project developed a program to measure carbon sequestration and water quality, creating a blueprint for replicable green infrastructure.
The project aims to provide quantitative evidence and economic assessments to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of wetland-based solutions across 5 different bioclimatic zones. Based on available project data, specific price points are not yet listed.
Yes, the project focuses on replicability across Europe by using 7 different showcases to create tools and policies that facilitate widespread adoption.
Based on available project data, the IP and licensing terms are not specified, but the project involves a multi-stakeholder approach for exploitation.
The project develops policies and technical evidence to help integrate nature-based solutions into official climate change adaptation strategies.
The project runs from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2029, meaning results and tools will be finalized by late 2029.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward research and public administration, with 8 universities and 4 research institutes. However, it includes 2 industrial partners and 3 SMEs, providing a necessary bridge to commercial application. With 25 partners across 8 countries, the project has a strong geographic reach to ensure the solutions work in diverse European climates.
Contact Aarhus Universitet (DK) for technical inquiries regarding wetland monitoring.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the NBS4Drought consortium for early access to hydrological assessment tools.
