Seasonal forecasting is a field with enormous potential influence in different socio-economic sectors, such as water resources, agriculture, health, and energy. Yet, surface climate conditions in Europe still represent a hurdle to formulate skillful seasonal predictions. SD4SP aims to improve simulation and prediction of the remote influence of two dominant tropical variability modes in the North Atlantic-European (NAE) region: El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO); which are the leading modes of interannual variability in the tropical troposphere and stratosphere respectively. ENSO is highly predictable and constitutes the cornerstone of seasonal forecasting. The QBO is well constrained by initialization and has a long persistence, being considered as the most promising source of seasonal forecast quality with ENSO. However, many scientific questions remain unresolved concerning their tropical-extratropical teleconnections, and model systematic errors only worsen the problem. SD4SP will focus on the stratospheric pathway of the ENSO/QBO teleconnections to NAE and pursue gaining insight into the dynamical mechanisms at play. This goal will be undertaken by carrying out an unprecedented set of idealized seasonal forecast experiments to address the contribution of the tropical stratosphere and the polar stratosphere to the prediction skill by suppressing variability in the two stratospheric regions, separately. SD4SP is very timely in helping to reduce model biases and to increase current seasonal forecasting capabilities for the NAE surface climate. The goal of SD4SP is twofold: to identify key sources of predictability and to improve understanding and simulation of the mechanisms responsible for that predictability. SD4SP will bring together theory and applicability disentangling atmospheric teleconnections to satisfactorily exploit them in a seasonal prediction context.

The Paris Agreement is the first international accord to engage with the full-scale investment efforts required to address climate change. Moreover, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as the global benchmark for directing investments to the clean energy sector. And yet, neither scholarship nor practice has illuminated the combined implications of the Paris Agreement and SDGs for determining how businesses can evolve to maintain their competitiveness and fuel the energy transitions to a net-zero emissions society by the second half of the century (Article 4(1) of the Paris Agreement). In this context, the European Union (EU) starts from a vantage point, which is an ambitious internal action plan toward decarbonization (e.g. the European Green Deal (EGD)), but policy design fails to combine Europe's external and internal obligations to support decarbonization technology. This project focuses on one of the most important areas for decarbonization policies, Energy Storage Technology (EST) for renewable energy, to propose a refined regulatory framework to fulfill the EU's external and internal commitments in climate policy. The project investigates how sustainable investment in renewable energy storage can be fostered through effective policy design that includes prosumers (energy-producing consumers), starting in the EU. Empowering and coordinating prosumers and businesses through effective policy design is one of the most promising strategies for the EU to achieve its vision of a citizen-oriented energy future and 100% renewable energy system by 2050. The multidisciplinary nature of the project is strong, involving policy design, EU and international law and sustainable finance. It includes a two-way transfer of knowledge and the training of the candidate in advanced techniques in energy and climate economics. In line with the EGD, the proposed policy is poised to increase EU competitiveness in EST for renewable energy, and results are transferrable.

European Topic Centres (ETCs) are centres of thematic expertise contracted by the EEA to carry out specific tasks identified in the EEA Multiannual Work Programme and the annual work programmes. They are designated by the EEA Management Board following a Europe-wide competitive selection process and work as extensions of the EEA in specific topic areas. Each ETC consists of a lead organisation and specialist partner organisations from the environmental research and information community, which combine their resources in their particular areas of expertise. The ETC/CCA activities on climate change, impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and disaster risk reduction include: -harmonisation, quality assessment and exchange of data and/or information; -processing of climate-related information, including use of models, mapping, analyses, evaluations and (thematic, sectoral and integrated) assessments to describe and analyse the status of the environment in support to sound policy decision making; -update, improvement and development of indicators to communicate the findings to various users; -content maintenance, improvement and further development of Climate-ADAPT; -provision of capacity building in EEA countries.

The European Union (EU) is rapidly transforming its energy landscape with the goal of becoming the world's first climate-neutral economy by 2050. Yet, nearly 10% of EU population struggles with basic energy needs. Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) - citizen-led initiatives for local clean energy production and sharing – are seen as a solution for combating energy poverty and meeting the EU’s climate targets. Does this model ensure that “no one is left behind” in the energy transition, as envisioned by the EU Green Deal? RECLAIM addresses this pressing question by evaluating how effectively RECs engage with vulnerable groups, particularly those at risk of energy poverty. It focuses on rural areas, which have long faced ecological, social and economic fragilities and are now central to the expansion of new energy developments. RECLAIM aims to: 1) identify vulnerabilities to energy poverty within emerging RECs; 2) assess how RECs facilitate participation and benefit-sharing among vulnerable groups and 3) implement community practices to enhance inclusion. RECLAIM introduces a transdisciplinary approach that weaves together advanced quantitative methods - such as multi-dimensional spatial analysis, Earth Observation, and vulnerability assessment - with qualitative tools, including surveys and participatory research. This innovative approach is made possible through collaboration with leading climate science institutes at CMCC, a secondment with the GIScience Laboratory at the University of Padova, a non-academic placement with an innovative energy start-up, and ongoing interactions with a diverse network of stakeholders engaged in local RECs. As a result, this project creates a unique training environment, boosting the Researcher’s skills and career. Finally, RECLAIM’s methodology aims to set the groundwork for future research pathways aiming to assess the complex impacts of the energy transition, with an emphasis on inclusivity and social equity.

Objectives of the current and future European CAP are to enhance the climate change resilience of European agriculture, increase climate change adaptation and protect biodiversity. Climate change Resilience of Agriculture System (CRAS) project aims, through an econometric and computational analysis, to better understand the contribution of agrobiodiversity to the resilience of agroecosystems and to the mitigation of the impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector. Objectives of the project are: 1. Estimating the contribution of agrobiodiversity to the economic resilience of the agricultural system applying the Ricardian approach. 2. Including agrobiodiversity into a CGE model to assess its role in smoothing climate change impacts on the agricultural sector, using parameters estimated in 1) 3. To evaluate the potential for adaptation policies favouring agrobiodiversity conservation to reduce climate impacts. The modified version of GE3AR model is used to assess the macro-economic (general equilibrium) implications of agrobiodiversity as a damage smoothing opportunity. In addition to policy advices, the project will contribute at exposing the debate on biodiversity conservation and climate change through an array of dissemination and communication efforts. During the outgoing phase, Dr. Lea Nicita will conduct the research and training at the Yale F&ES School, under the supervision of Professor Mendelsohn. Afterwards she will return to CMCC under the supervision of Professor Carlo Carraro. The project with its trainings improves her research and transferable skills, and extends her international networks through the contacts of the host and the beneficiary. By including versatile training-through-research, multiple dissemination and communication methods, public engagement and networking the project has a strong impact on the researcher’s career, on the future research collaboration as well as on the public interest.