DesirMED during the first reporting period (1RP) in relation to the project’s Specific Objectives (SOs), as defined in Annex 1 of the Grant Agreement. In particular, during 1RP, the project has focused on laying the foundation for transformative adaptation across the engaged Mediterranean regions through extensive stakeholders (SHs) engagement, regional visioning, baseline data collection, and the planning of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in the project Demonstrating Regions (DRs) and Replicating regions (RRs). While implementation and demonstration activities are scheduled for later phases (within WP2, recently started), the initial work has been critical in aligning regional efforts, identifying key actors, and designing coherent pathways for diving through the different steps of the Transformative Adaptation Journey (TAJ, WP1-WP3). Among the several milestones and deliverables achieved to date are the definition of the Regional Protocol (MS1), the stakeholder mapping process (MS2), and the completion of the initial series of regional workshops (MS3), as well as Deliverable D6.1 assessing the current status of NbS financing in Mediterranean regions.
DesirMED is making steady progress toward delivering meaningful scientific and societal impacts in the engaged DRs and RRs in the Mediterranean biogeographical region. Through the co-design, testing, and demonstration of transformative climate change adaptation solutions, primarily centered around NbS, the project directly engages with environmental, social, economic, and cultural systems. The NbS interventions being developed are grounded in region-specific climate risk profiles and SHs-driven visioning processes, and are designed to be replicable in comparable landscapes both within and beyond the Mediterranean context. This cross-cutting and place-based approach is fostering evidence-based adaptation pathways aligned with the EU Climate Change Adaptation Mission Implementation Plan, as well as key EU strategic goals related to climate action, biodiversity, the circular economy, the bioeconomy, and inclusive citizen engagement.
From a scientific standpoint, DesirMED has already generated robust baseline data through participatory stakeholder mapping (WP1), landscape characterization (WP4, with mapping methodology currently under finalization), and assessments of regional governance and adaptation capacity (WP5) and NbS financial schemes (WP6), including a first analysis of regional NbS implementation plans (WP2). This evidence base is informing the implementation of NbS across regions, with a focus on capturing co-benefits, trade-offs, and synergies across multiple systems. Monitoring and evaluation activities are underway (WP2 and WP4) and structured according to a set of qualitative and quantitative indicators defined in the project's Regional Protocol. These include benchmarks on stakeholder engagement, institutional readiness, NbS maturity levels, and climate vulnerability. Adjustments to the impact pathways, where needed, are being made in consultation with regional stakeholders to ensure continued alignment with evolving local priorities and governance dynamics.
While no major changes to the originally planned KPI and related expected impacts have occurred, the project’s flexibility in responding to region-specific needs and leveraging existing citizen science practices (e.g. via the rescheduling of milestone MS6) enhances its capacity to deliver context-relevant, scalable solutions. The project remains on track to meet its scientific and societal impact objectives as defined in the DoA, with upcoming deliverables further detailing impact quantification and replication potential.
