NATURE-DEMO Highlights Infrastructure Solutions at the 3rd RESIST Stakeholder Meeting in Greece

On Friday, March 27, 2026, the NATURE-DEMO participated in the 3rd RESIST Stakeholder Meeting held in Komotini, Greece. Organized by the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (REMTH), the hybrid event was titled "Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in PAMTH: From project experience to policy development".

The meeting served as an exchange platform between EU project teams, regional authorities, and the scientific community to discuss integrating Nature-based Solutions into national regulatory frameworks for climate change adaptation.

Strategic Context and Regional Challenges

The event opened with remarks from Artemis Tsolaki (RESIST Project Manager) and Christos Partsias (Smart Specialization Strategy Coordinator), who highlighted the climate vulnerability of the Mediterranean region. A core challenge identified during the opening sessions is the practical deployment and construction of nature-based infrastructure due to regulatory gaps in current national legislations.

Sophie Berger, Policy Officer for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change (DG Research & Innovation), provided the European perspective. She emphasized that the EU's upcoming Integrated Climate Resilience Framework will continue to position Nature-based Solutions as the preferred option for climate adaptation. Additionally, representatives from the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy attended as observers to gather insights for the upcoming revision of the National Climate Adaptation Strategy.

Presenting NATURE-DEMO Progress

During the dedicated session on European NBS projects implemented within the region, NATURE-DEMO was formally presented by Maria Chamitidou, Engineer and Acting Head of the Directorate of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, who serves as the regional Project Coordinator.

The presentation focused on NATURE-DEMO’s specific research milestones and its role within the regional ecosystem of climate resilience initiatives alongside other projects like RESIST, DESIRMED, and REDEEM.

Workshop Findings and Policy Integration

The subsequent stakeholder workshop, moderated by Professor Christos Akratos from the Democritus University of Thrace, focused on overcoming barriers to NBS implementation. The discussion highlighted several critical objectives:

• Identifying regulatory barriers and specific administrative permitting challenges.

• Shifting the perception of NBS from a project cost to an opportunity for innovation and regional competitiveness.

• Creating a unified European guide or framework to standardize various nature-based engineering solutions.

Next Steps: Joint Policy Paper

The conclusions gathered from NATURE-DEMO and the other participating initiatives will directly inform a joint Policy Paper. This document will outline concrete structural proposals to improve the administrative, legislative, and permitting frameworks for green-grey infrastructure. The final paper will be submitted to the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy and other competent authorities to assist in standardizing nature-based infrastructure solutions