More than 50 young scientists and postgraduate students from Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Spain gathered at the School of Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) in Xanthi, Greece, for the Summer School "Shaping Nature-Based Solutions towards Climate Resilience and Bioeconomy", jointly organised by the Horizon Europe project DesirMED and the PRIMA-funded project CIRQUA.
Held from 22 to 26 June 2026, the Summer School offered an intensive interdisciplinary learning experience centred on climate adaptation, sustainable water management, circular bioeconomy approaches and Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). Through a combination of expert lectures, laboratory sessions, collaborative workshops and field visits, participants explored how research can be translated into practical solutions for Mediterranean regions facing increasing climate pressures.
The initiative also demonstrated the strong complementarity between the two European projects. While DesirMED accelerates climate adaptation through the development, demonstration and replication of Nature-Based Solutions across the Mediterranean, CIRQUA focuses on water reuse, nutrient recovery and circular resource management. Together, they provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem-based adaptation, resilient water management and sustainable environmental engineering.
Understanding Climate Change through Nature-Based Solutions
A highlight of the programme was the keynote lecture delivered by Prof. Georgios Sylaios, leader of the DUTH team in DesirMED, entitled "Ecohydrology and Nature-Based Solutions to Address Climate Change Challenges."
Drawing on the latest climate observations and regional projections, Prof. Sylaios illustrated how climate change is already transforming the Mediterranean through increasing temperatures, prolonged droughts, more frequent floods and wildfires, sea-level rise, coastal erosion and biodiversity loss. These challenges were presented alongside practical adaptation pathways based on Nature-Based Solutions and ecohydrology, demonstrating how natural ecosystems can work together with engineering interventions to increase resilience.
Participants were introduced to several DesirMED demonstration activities, including precision irrigation systems, constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and water reuse, flood mitigation measures, coastal restoration using submerged geotextile structures, seagrass restoration, ecohydrological river interventions and habitat restoration initiatives. These examples illustrated how DesirMED is translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions that can be replicated across Mediterranean regions.
A Multidisciplinary Learning Experience
Over five intensive days, participants explored the scientific, technical and policy dimensions of climate adaptation through lectures delivered by leading researchers from DUTH and partner institutions.
The programme opened with an introduction to the DesirMED and CIRQUA projects, followed by sessions on water reuse, nutrient recovery and sustainable soil fertilisation, highlighting how circular approaches can transform wastewater from a waste stream into a valuable resource. Participants were then introduced to the principles of ecohydrology and the role of Nature-Based Solutions in improving water security, reducing environmental risks and strengthening the resilience of both coastal and inland ecosystems.
Practical learning formed an integral part of the first day, as participants explored the microbiology of wastewater treatment systems through laboratory activities, gaining first-hand experience in analysing microbial flocs and understanding the biological processes that underpin modern wastewater treatment technologies.
The second day focused on water resilience and environmental governance, with sessions examining sustainable water management under climate change, the EU Nature Restoration Law and the contribution of Nature-Based Solutions to biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation. Participants also explored innovative municipal wastewater treatment technologies, including anaerobic membrane bioreactors for energy recovery, water reuse and nutrient recycling, alongside bioeconomy approaches that convert agricultural residues into renewable energy and recover nutrients using microalgae-based systems.
Interactive group exercises complemented the lectures, encouraging participants from different scientific backgrounds to work together on developing Nature-Based Solutions for challenges such as flooding, drought and biodiversity loss. These collaborative activities demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and highlighted how combining expertise from ecology, engineering, environmental policy and climate science can generate more effective and resilient adaptation strategies.
Later in the programme, the focus shifted towards understanding the physical basis of climate change and its implications for the Mediterranean Basin, one of the world's most vulnerable climate hotspots. Participants examined future climate projections, climate indicators and international modelling frameworks such as CMIP6 and CORDEX, while gaining hands-on experience with open-source tools and cloud-based platforms for analysing climate datasets.
The final classroom sessions explored sustainable approaches to coastal protection, demonstrating how ecohydraulic engineering and Nature-Based Solutions can reduce erosion and coastal hazards. Through practical demonstrations using the REEF3D hydrodynamic modelling platform, participants investigated wave propagation, sediment transport and the performance of different coastal protection measures under future climate scenarios.
Together, these activities provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of how climate science, environmental engineering, ecology and policy can be integrated to develop innovative, evidence-based Nature-Based Solutions for Mediterranean climate resilience.
Bringing Nature-Based Solutions into the Field
The programme concluded with a full-day field excursion that connected classroom learning with real-world implementation.
Participants visited the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace National Park, exploring the internationally important wetland ecosystems of Lake Vistonida, where they observed how wetlands contribute to biodiversity conservation, water regulation and climate resilience. The visit also highlighted the region's exceptional bird diversity and the importance of protecting Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.
The excursion continued to the historic Monastery of Saint Nicholas at Porto Lagos before concluding at a full-scale constructed wetland wastewater treatment facility. There, participants observed each stage of the treatment process, from primary treatment to vertical and horizontal subsurface-flow wetlands, and learned how Nature-Based Solutions can simultaneously improve water quality, support water reuse, reduce energy consumption and contribute to climate-resilient infrastructure.
The field activities provided a valuable opportunity to connect scientific concepts discussed throughout the week with practical environmental management and engineering applications.
Building the Next Generation of Climate Adaptation Professionals
Beyond technical knowledge, the Summer School fostered international collaboration among early-career researchers, encouraging participants to exchange ideas across disciplines and national contexts. The combination of lectures, laboratory work, interactive workshops and field experience created an environment where scientific knowledge, innovation and practical problem-solving came together.
As climate risks continue to intensify across the Mediterranean, initiatives such as this Summer School play an important role in strengthening the scientific capacity needed to design, implement and scale Nature-Based Solutions.
By investing in education, interdisciplinary collaboration and practical training, DesirMED is helping build the next generation of researchers and practitioners who will contribute to a more resilient and sustainable Mediterranean region.
