Mountains across Europe face flooding, landslides, and erosion — and climate change is making it worse. Instead of only pouring concrete, this project asked: what if we let nature do the heavy lifting? Across five sites in Italy, Norway, France, Spain, Austria, and Germany, teams planted vegetation, reshaped slopes, and restored natural drainage to hold back water and soil. Think of it as working with the mountain instead of against it — and they proved it works at real scale, not just on paper.
By the numbers
EUR 9,472,200
EU contribution to develop and test nature-based risk reduction solutions
3
Large-scale demonstrator sites with implemented nature-based solutions
7
European countries involved in testing and validation
16
Partners in the consortium
41
Total project deliverables produced
5
European case study sites for hydro-meteorological hazard solutions
The business problem
What needed solving
Mountain infrastructure — roads, railways, pipelines, resorts — suffers billions in annual damage from floods, landslides, and erosion, and climate change is accelerating these events. Traditional concrete-and-steel defenses are expensive to build and maintain, and rural mountain communities often lack the budgets that cities have for disaster protection. There is a proven gap in cost-effective, long-lasting risk reduction that works with the landscape rather than against it.
The solution
What was built
The project physically implemented nature-based solutions (vegetation reinforcement, natural drainage, slope stabilization) at 3 large-scale demonstrator sites in Italy, France/Spain/Andorra, and Norway, plus 2 concept sites in Austria and Germany. Across 41 deliverables, they produced implementation guides, risk assessment tools, governance models, and documented performance data for nature-based flood, erosion, landslide, and drought mitigation.
Audience
Who needs this
Civil engineering firms building or maintaining mountain infrastructureInsurance companies pricing natural hazard risk in Alpine and mountain regionsNational and regional road authorities managing mountain transport corridorsSki resort and mountain tourism operators facing erosion and flood riskMunicipal governments in mountain regions planning climate adaptation
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Civil engineering and infrastructure
mid-size
Target: Engineering firms designing mountain roads, railways, or pipelines
If you are an infrastructure company dealing with recurring landslide and erosion damage to mountain roads or pipelines — this project implemented nature-based stabilization measures across 3 large-scale demonstrator sites in Italy, Norway, and France/Spain. Their tested techniques for slope reinforcement and natural drainage could cut your long-term maintenance costs compared to purely grey infrastructure.
Insurance and reinsurance
enterprise
Target: Insurers covering natural hazard risk in mountain regions
If you are an insurer struggling to price flood and landslide risk in rural mountain areas — this project produced 41 deliverables including risk reduction evidence from 5 European mountain sites. Their data on how nature-based solutions reduce hydro-meteorological hazard exposure could improve your risk models and help you design new resilience-linked policy products.
Tourism and mountain resort management
any
Target: Ski resorts and mountain tourism operators
If you run a mountain resort facing increasing erosion, flooding, or drought threatening your operations and access roads — this project demonstrated cost-effective green infrastructure solutions tested across 7 European countries. Their vegetation-based slope protection and natural water management approaches protect landscapes while preserving the scenic value your business depends on.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
How much did the EU invest in developing these solutions?+
The EU contributed EUR 9,472,200 to this Innovation Action running from 2018 to 2023. This funded implementation at 3 large-scale demonstrator sites and 2 smaller concept cases across 7 European countries.
Were these solutions tested at real scale or only in labs?+
These were tested at full operational scale. The project implemented nature-based solutions at 3 large-scale demonstrator sites in Italy, France/Spain/Andorra, and Norway, plus 2 concept cases in Austria and Germany. The demonstrator sites already had external financing and were implementing real disaster risk reduction measures.
Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?+
The project was coordinated by the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute with 16 partners across 7 countries. IP rights typically rest with the consortium partners under Horizon 2020 rules. Contact the coordinator to discuss licensing or knowledge transfer for specific techniques.
Does this comply with EU disaster risk reduction regulations?+
The project directly addresses EU climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policy for mountain regions. It was funded under the SC5-08-2017 topic specifically targeting nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction, aligning with EU Green Deal and climate resilience directives.
How long did it take to see results from the implemented solutions?+
The project ran for 5 years (2018-2023), with nature-based solutions implemented and monitored across the demonstrator sites during this period. Nature-based solutions typically need several growing seasons to reach full effectiveness, and the project timeline allowed for this maturation and performance tracking.
Can these solutions work alongside existing grey infrastructure?+
Yes. The project's approach combines nature-based solutions with existing infrastructure rather than replacing it entirely. The 5 innovation fronts covered technical, service, governance, learning, and product dimensions — meaning the solutions are designed for integration into existing risk management systems.
What kind of hazards do these solutions address?+
The project specifically targeted hydro-meteorological hazards: flooding, erosion, landslides, and drought in rural and mountainous regions. The 3 demonstrator sites were chosen to represent different vegetation, topography, and infrastructure conditions across European mountains.
Consortium
Who built it
The 16-partner consortium across 7 countries (Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Norway) is research-heavy: 7 universities and 4 research institutes make up the core, with only 2 industry partners and 1 SME (12% industry ratio). This signals deep scientific credibility but means businesses adopting these solutions will likely need to work directly with the academic partners for knowledge transfer. The coordinator, Norway's Geotechnical Institute, is a well-established applied research body — a practical bridge between science and engineering practice. The geographic spread across Alpine, Pyrenean, and Scandinavian mountain regions means the solutions have been validated under diverse European conditions.
Want an introduction to the PHUSICOS team to discuss deploying nature-based solutions at your mountain sites? SciTransfer can arrange a direct briefing with the right consortium partner for your needs.
