To strengthen its connection with civil society and foster collaboration with related projects, CLIMAAX joined the Societal Resilience Cluster of Projects. On May 15, during the coordinators’ meeting, Frederiek Sperna Weiland presented an overview of the project, highlighting its objectives and the progress achieved so far.

A cluster is an informal, voluntary, and free subset of the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS), bringing together projects focused on related research areas. Clusters serve as platforms for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and joint dissemination efforts, enhancing efficiency and impact across Horizon-funded initiatives. By fostering innovation and resilience, they help sustain the legacy of past projects while supporting new ones in their development.

Clusters are typically formed under the Disaster Resilient Societies (DRS) framework but increasingly include projects from other programmes, such as the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (UCPKN) and the European Defence Fund (EDF). Membership is open to all current projects funded by European Grant Agreements, with a strong emphasis on maintaining engagement beyond project completion to ensure lasting impact and knowledge transfer.

The Societal Resilience Cluster (SRC) was the founding Cluster, established over three years ago to unite projects focused on Secure Societies, particularly those emphasising community engagement and societal involvement. As new projects continue to join, the Cluster has expanded beyond Horizon programmes, reflecting its broad thematic nature and growing relevance across multiple European initiatives.

Endorsed by CERIS and the European Research Executive Agency (REA), SRC fosters collaboration by encouraging members to share ideas, research findings, lessons learned, and project progress. Participation in debates, shared events, and synergy-building activities is highly encouraged, ensuring that the Cluster remains a vibrant and active knowledge-sharing community.