On 5 June 2026, Professor Chrysi Laspidou participated in the EU Green Week partner event “Water Resilience as a Competitive Edge: Bridging R&I Gaps for Nature-based Solutions (NbS),” held at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels.
The event brought together representatives from the European Commission, research organisations, businesses, investors, and practitioners to discuss the role of water resilience and Nature-based Solutions in addressing climate challenges and supporting sustainable development.
As part of the session “Examples of Successful Water-Related Nature-based Solutions from Horizon Europe Projects,” Professor Laspidou presented the ARSINOE project alongside other Horizon Europe initiatives, including RESTCOAST, SpongeScapes, and WATERLANDS.
The session highlighted examples of successful water-related Nature-based Solutions developed through Horizon Europe projects. The discussion focused on how Nature-based Solutions can contribute to climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, and the creation of economic value, while demonstrating the potential of ecosystem restoration and water resilience measures at different scales.
The event also featured a series of impact talks exploring research and innovation gaps and opportunities related to water resilience. Speakers represented sectors including agriculture, insurance, research and scale-up, investment, and landscape planning. Discussions addressed challenges and opportunities for increasing the deployment of Nature-based Solutions and attracting investment.
A dedicated session examined the development of a Water Resilience Research and Innovation Strategy (WRRIS), followed by a stakeholder debate on future priorities for water-related Nature-based Solutions. Participants discussed questions including what is currently missing in EU research and innovation funding, how the private sector can benefit from deploying Nature-based Solutions, and which research gaps need to be addressed to facilitate further investment.
The event formed part of EU Green Week 2026 and provided a platform for exchanging experiences and perspectives on strengthening water resilience through research, innovation, and collaboration across sectors.
