There is a lack of data, understanding and awareness in Europe and in the world of compound weather and climate extremes. Insufficient governance function also affect the related vulnerability, risk and resilience of people, communities and places. The C2IMPRESS project aims to bring a radical paradigm shift to disaster and hazard research and innovation by moving away from traditional ‘hazard centric’ approach/ framework to a novel ‘place and people’ centred integrated multi-hazard risk and resilient assessment framework. Guided by this framework, the C2IMPRESS project aims to offer an ensemble of innovative revolutionary models, methods, frameworks, tools and technologies that are holistic and robust enough to provide appropriate fine-grained spatio-temporal qualitative and quantitative data, locally appropriate solutions, better prediction with lower uncertainty on risks of single or multiple hazards stemming from extreme weather events like floods, wildfires etc. under different climate change scenarios. Breakthrough innovations from C2IMPRESS project will be System-of-Systems for Multi-Hazard Risk Intelligence Network (SoS4MHRIN) platform (supported by the robust Earth System Dynamic Intelligence (ESDI) and Information Physical Artificial Intelligence (IPAI)), innovative Agent Based Model, polycentric risk governance, multi-actor decision support microservices and a suite of citizen engagement technologies and tools as well as novel co-design and co-creation approach for socio-technical innovations, knowledge production and validation to empower citizens and society with climate actions for a sustainable transition to a just risk resilient society. With these social and technical innovations -as novel processes and products- the C2IMPRESS project will provide better understanding and public awareness on multi-hazard risks, the associated multidimensional impacts, vulnerabilities and resilience of extreme weather events in 4 case study areas in Europe.

e-SAFE defines and develops a market-ready deep renovation system for non-historic buildings, whose ability to uptake the EU market relies on the combination of decarbonization goals with earthquake safety (where applicable), indoor comfort, reduced implementation time and cost, affordable financial options, reduced occupants’ disturbance, increased aesthetic and functional attractiveness. This is reached through an iterative process based on a multidisciplinary methodology, where traditional modelling and experimental research are integrated with tools for promoting financial feasibility, knowledge co-production, mutual learning and public engagement. The result is a new deep renovation system that benefits from the full integration between technological innovation and process-based innovation. From a technological standpoint, e-SAFE integrates TRL5-6 technologies within a TRL8-9 upscaled framework, deployed and validated through 3 large scale pilot projects. The output is an abacus of innovative, tailorable, integrated solutions for energy-efficient deep renovation, with recyclable bio-materials and increased seismic resistance. The e-SAFE technical systems also enhance indoor comfort while significantly reducing primary energy demand. Market uptake and public interest in deep renovation are than pursued via 3 process-based innovations: 1) a co-design protocol for future e-SAFE exploiters, to fully engage their customers in the finalization of renovation design, assisted by a newly developed ICT-based decision making tool; 2) an original dedicated value chain, where e-SAFE-related royalties are used by a new one-stop-shop financing entity for broadening deep renovation opportunities by providing to potential clients tailored financial solutions; 3) the generation of a public engagement protocol that makes every e-SAFE-based project an occasion to raise public awareness on the importance of decarbonization and seismic safety, while enhancing market opportunities.

The overall objective of the project is to develop and pilot test a cloud eParticipation SaaS platform, (available as a mobile application and through a web platform) enhanced with web / social media mining, gamification, machine translation, and visualisation features, which will promote the societal and political participation of young people in the decision-making process on environmental issues. The project will employ innovative social media analytics and monitoring tools, as part of effective strategies that will be developed, in order to engage young citizens in the pilot activities and increase their motivation to participate. Four pilots in an operational environment have been selected for the deployment of STEP solution in 4 locations: Italy, Spain, Greece, and Turkey, with the participation of one regional authority, 3 municipalities, and an association of municipalities. The pilots are expected to involve testing by 8.200 young users and 85 policy makers. 65 decision-making procedures with an impact on the environment are expected to be tested. The project will assess the usability, effectiveness and impact of the STEP service project in embedding open engagement in public sector processes, and will identify the key barriers for wide scale deployment. Dissemination activities specifically designed for the needs of young people and policy makers will be employed. A business strategy will be developed for the wide take-up of the integrated STEP platform and its reusable components, individually, or in combinations. The potential for scalability and adaptation to other regions will be assessed, and organisations that can be involved in the wide deployment of the platform and its components will be approached.

Coastal urban development incorporates a wide range of development activities that are taking place as a result of the water element existing in the fabric of the city. This element may have different forms (i.e. a bay, a river, or a brook) but in almost all cases the surrounding area constitutes what maybe considered as the heart of the city. Every city that incorporates the water-element in its fabric is confronted with the fundamental requirement of developing policies for driving development in the surrounding area, while balancing between: a) economic growth, b) protection of the environmental, and c) safeguarding social cohesion. This requirement is tightly connected with the concept of Urban Resilience, which is the capacity of individuals, communities, businesses and systems within a city to survive, adapt and grow no matter what chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience. In developing policies that add value to the resilience of a city, we shift the existing paradigm of policy making, which is largely based on intuition, towards an evidence-driven approach enabled by big data. Our attention is placed on policies related to the water element. Our basis is the sensing infrastructures installed in the cities offering demographic data, statistical information, sensor readings and user contributed content forming the big data layer. Methods for big data analytics are used to measure the economic activity, assess the environmental impact and evaluate the social consequences. The extracted pieces of evidence are used to inform, advice, monitor, evaluate and revise the decisions made by policy planners. Finally, effective policies are developed dealing with: a) the economic and urban development of Thermaikos Bay, Thessaloniki, b) the transformation of Düden Brook into a recreation and park area, Antalya, c) the development of a Storm Water Plan, Antwerp, and d) the review of the Country Development Plan in the River Lee territory, City of Cork.

SiEUGreen aspires to enhance the EU-China cooperation in promoting urban agriculture for food security, resource efficiency and smart, resilient cities. Building on the model of zero-waste and circular economy, it will demonstrate how technological and societal innovation in urban agriculture can have a positive impact on society and economy, by applying novel resource-efficient agricultural techniques in urban and peri-urban areas, developing innovative approaches for social engagement and empowerment and investigating the economic, environmental and social benefits of urban agriculture. In order to achieve its objectives, SiEuGreen brings together a multi-disciplinary Consortium of European and Chinese researchers, technology providers, SMEs, financiers, local and regional authorities and citizen communities. The project consists in the preparation, deployment and evaluation of showcases in 5 selected European and Chinese urban and peri-urban areas: a previous hospital site in Norway, community gardens in Denmark, previously unused municipal areas with dense refugee population in Turkey, big urban community farms in Beijing and Central China. Throughout SiEUGreen’s implementation, EU and China will share technologies and experiences, thus contributing to the future developments of urban agriculture and urban resilience in both continents. The impact measurement during and especially beyond the project period is a key component in the project’s design. Information and results obtained from the project will be disseminated through diverse communication and dissemination tools including, social media, an innovative app enhancing urban co-design, stakeholder conferences, hand-on training workshops, showcase demonstration forums, municipality events. A sustainable business model allowing SiEUGreen to live beyond the project period is planned by joining forces of private investors, governmental policy makers, communities of citizens, academia and technology providers.