The 18-19 November edition of the CLIMAAX Webstival brought together regional authorities, researchers, climate-risk practitioners, and EU stakeholders for two highly engaging days dedicated to strengthening regional resilience. With 685 registrants and 485 active attendees, the event confirmed the growing interest in tools, methodologies, and policies that can support regions in assessing climate risks and planning effective adaptation measures.
The Webstival aimed to offer a comprehensive overview of the CLIMAAX toolbox and methodologies; promote open dialogue and peer learning between regions; translate complex scientific insights into actionable policy indications; and support participants in aligning climate-risk assessments and adaptation strategies with key EU policies and funding mechanisms under the Mission on Climate Adaptation and the European Green Deal.
Day 1: Policy Perspectives and Mission Adaptation Insights
Moderated by Athanasia Maria Tompolidi from EURADA, the first day focused on the policy dimension of the CLIMAAX project: Frederiek Sperna Weiland, Deltares Project Coordinator, opened the event by outlining the project’s objectives and the increasing relevance of coordinated regional climate-risk assessment.
A keynote address by Sophie Berger European Commission, Policy Officer of Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, highlighted the strategic role of CLIMAAX in supporting the EU Mission on Adaptation and in strengthening the evidence base for decision-making across Member States. The regional perspective was further explored by Daniel Sempere from UPC and CLIMAAX Co-coordinator, who presented “Empowering local action for climate adaptation in Europe”, emphasised the importance of placing regions at the centre of adaptation efforts, given their frontline exposure to climate impacts and their crucial role in implementing effective resilience measures.
A key moment of the day was the roundtable “Bridging Projects, Strengthening Regions: Shared Tools for Climate Resilience”, which brought together representatives from multiple EU-funded initiatives. The discussion featured Richard Smithers (Mission Implementation Platform), Thomas Koetz (Pathways2Resilience), Jan Cools (TransformAr), Josep Pijuan (IMPETUS), and Iván Ramos Diez (NEVERMORE). Their exchange highlighted complementary methodologies, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities for collaboration. The session underlined the need for shared tools, coherent governance approaches, and coordinated support mechanisms for European regions.
Day 2: Technical Insights, Big Data Innovations and the CoP
The second day of the Webstival shifted the focus to the technical foundations of CLIMAAX, exploring data, tools, and methods that underpin climate-risk assessment and adaptation planning across Europe.
The day opened with an inspiring keynote by Richard Smithers (Director, Mission Implementation Platform) titled “Climate Risk Assessment: the importance of what is assessed and how it is assessed for accelerating adaptation”. His intervention stressed that methodological clarity and robust assessment frameworks are essential to support evidence-based decision-making at all governance levels.
Technical Session 1 featured Christopher Polster (ECMWF), who presented “Connecting Tools and Experience in the CLIMAAX Handbook”. He offered a guided overview of the Handbook’s evolution into a user-oriented resource that integrates scientific data, tools, and practical insights into climate-risk assessment. Participants appreciated its capacity to support regions in navigating complex methodologies with clarity and confidence.
Technical Session 2 was led by Maurizio Mazzoleni (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), whose talk “Data-driven algorithms, Big Data, and methods for EWS and Climate Risk Assessment in Europe” showcased how advanced algorithms and big-data approaches can enhance Climate-Informed Early Warning Systems (EWS). His contribution illustrated how innovative digital tools can reshape risk assessment and help regions anticipate extreme events more effectively.
To close the event, Fulvio Biddau (CMCC) delivered the session “From Collaboration to Impact: Advancing the CLIMAAX Community of Practice”, highlighting how the Community of Practice (CoP) has evolved into a vibrant platform for long-term collaboration, shared learning, and cross-regional exchange. His intervention underscored that the CoP will remain a cornerstone of the project’s legacy, ensuring continued impact beyond CLIMAAX’s formal duration.
Engagement, Reach, and Cross-Project Collaboration
Throughout the Webstival, participation remained consistently high, with an active audience contributing questions, comments, and reflections across both sessions. The broad geographical representation, including many regional stakeholders already familiar with CLIMAAX, created a dynamic and highly informed discussion environment.
Collaboration between CLIMAAX, MIP4Adapt, and the Mission Adaptation sister projects emerged as one of the event’s strongest outcomes. The roundtable in particular fostered alignment around tools, governance approaches, and capacity-building strategies, strengthening the shared foundation for future cooperation.
The event also offered significant visibility to the CLIMAAX tools, including the Handbook, datasets, Early Warning System demonstrations, and the Community of Practice. Positive reactions from participants, captured through Mentimeter and audience feedback, confirmed their relevance and usability.
Feedback collected during and after the Webstival indicates a highly engaged audience, with most participants attending both days and actively contributing to exchanges. A large share works directly in climate-risk assessment or adaptation planning, which allowed the discussions to move quickly into advanced topics, methodological nuances, and cross-project insights.
Presentations were praised for clarity, relevance, and the high level of expertise demonstrated by speakers. Participants also offered constructive suggestions for future editions, expressing a strong interest in more technical sessions, hands-on demonstrations, and continued opportunities for community exchange.
Towards the Future
Overall, the 2025 CLIMAAX Webstival not only demonstrated the value of the project’s tools and resources but also highlighted the strength of a growing European community committed to advancing climate resilience. The event reinforced the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and continued investment in practical, science-based solutions to support Europe’s regions in facing a rapidly changing climate.