The overall objective of Contracts2.0 is to develop novel contract-based approaches to incentivise farmers for the increased provision of environmental public goods along with private goods using result-based, collective, land tenure and value chain approaches. Newly developed contract-based approaches are environmentally more effective, economically viable for farmers and support the longevity of contractual arrangements. Moreover, they enlarge farmers’ entrepreneurial freedom and responsibility, and are better adapted to the relevant temporal and spatial scales of specific environmental goods. Contracts2.0 improves existing and designs new contracts in rural areas to realise synergies on the ground: Therefore, Contracts2.0 adapts a Design Thinking process using a six-step iterative process of analytical and creative steps to design and test novel contracts. Further, Contracts2.0 describes novel contract design principles as well as policy guidelines to provide facilitating policy framework. Contracts2.0 activates the experience of 11 existing innovation initiatives and 13 action partners around Europe as a basis for the novel contracts. The initiatices are involved in all steps of the project and i) are pivotal in our analysis of existing initiatives in our 'innovation labs', ii) support experimental testing of novel contract features, and iii) test novel models on the ground. Contracts2.0 provides: An inventory and SWOT analysis of existing result-based, collective, land tenure and value chain approaches; a catalogue of factors facilitating and hindering existing approaches; a set of novel contract design principles; a guideline for policy framework fostering contract-based approaches and the development of appropriate agri-environmental-climate policies; a set of tailor made communication and dissemination materials for target audiences, and new cooperation and innovation networks for ongoing improvement of rural development policies and instruments.

The project “SpongeBoost - upscaling the natural sponge functions of freshwater ecosystems to deliver multi-benefit Green Deal solutions” gathered a consortium of 10 partners from 7 European countries with interdisciplinary backgrounds in research, policy and management, to collect and recommend the best solutions for effectively increasing or restoring the natural water retention function of the landscape. By compiling available knowledge and best practice tools, combined with adapting and testing new innovative approaches, a roadmap will be developed to engage regions and communities in active implementing of transformative measures to improve resilience to extreme events. By synthesising knowledge for policy-making, hands-on restoration, and adaptive land-use planning, as well as showcasing successful examples of sponge restoration and the multifunctional benefits, stakeholders from the local to the European scale will be engaged and supported in implementing cost-effective and innovative solutions for restoring the sponge function of soils in wetlands and groundwater surface water systems. The active participation in development and testing ensures that innovative solutions are moved closer to the market. Thus, SpongeBoost will contribute to achieving the ambitious targets of the EU Climate Change Adaptation Mission and its Implementation Plan to maximize climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity and other societal benefits from nature-based solution. SpongeBoost consortium members are involved in various restoration projects and work closely with relevant actors promoting networking and knowledge exchange and creating synergies at regional level and across all regions of Europe. They contribute to SpongeBoost's overarching goal of making a lasting positive impact on sponge restoration for climate change adaptation.

The proposed project aims to engage public authorities through a competition and to develop a targeted peer-to-peer learning program, to increase the uptake of cross-sectoral integrated urban planning at district level. The consortium is composed of 7 competent partners from countries covering different socio-economic and geographical areas of Europe, 6 of whom will implement all the project activities in their country, while the last partner, including its linked third party, serves as a supporting expert. National competitions for municipalities will enable the matching of forerunner cities in the field of integrated planning with committed cities, based on their excellence as well as outstanding ambitions. This transparent and innovative matching procedure will help to promote the contents of the project and to activate municipalities. The following peer-to-peer learning program, including a total of 42 municipalities will increase the capacities of municipal politicians, technical planning staff and communications representatives to effectively plan, finance, communicate and implement the energy transition. Targeted workshops will address the specific needs of these groups. The partners will draw on their broad experience to enrich, guide and moderate the peer-exchanges. With their increased capacities, 24 committed cities will develop institutionalised Energy Plans for the energy efficient development of one model district in their territory. The program also includes a European exchange dimension, to connect municipal authorities across the EU. The knowledge gained during this program will be disseminated by the consortium to further multiply the number of integrated planning projects for energy efficiency. MULTIPLY will contribute to the expected impact, triggering energy savings of around 177GWh/year and the production of renewable energy of around 80 GWh/year. It will link 42 municipalities across Europe and directly reach an estimated 960 municipal professionals with its learning programs.